Side-by-Side: A One-on-One Peer Support Program for Medical Students

Problem Medical students experience high levels of burnout and face barriers to accessing support services. However, few studies have considered the feasibility and/or effectiveness of one-on-one peer support programs for medical students. This report aims to describe the development and implementation of such a program, the Side-by-Side Peer Support Program, at the University of Ottawa (August 2018-June 2020). Approach Thirty-five medical students enrolled at the University of Ottawa Faculty of Medicine were selected to participate in a training course aimed at developing the skills necessary to provide one-on-one support to their peers. The main responsibilities of peer supporters were to reach out to classmates, particularly those displaying changes in their usual behavior that might be indicative of mental illness, to provide basic counseling, and to refer at-risk students to professional services. Peer supporters offered weekly hours during which classmates could contact them for support. Information on interactions between students and peer supporters was recorded in an electronic database. An end-of-year survey collected information on barriers to seeking help perceived by medical students. Outcomes A total of 303 interactions were recorded. Interactions took place in various formats, including in-person, via telephone or video call, or via texting or online messaging. Interactions were initiated by both students and peer supporters. Survey respondents identified more barriers to seeking help from Faculty of Medicine services than Side-by-Side, including fear of impact on career (22.2% vs 2.5%; P < .01) and belief that the services would not be helpful (42.0% vs 23.5%; P = .02). Next Steps The authors plan to quantify well-being through academic engagement metrics as well as mental health outcome metrics in future studies. Future studies should also consider whether peer support increases help-seeking behaviors and/or the use of professional services.