Structured peer engagement for early-stage medical students provides a safe space and creates a sense of community, combatting imposter syndrome and improving wellbeing

Medical education is consistently associated with high rates of psychological distress, with global studies showing depression affects over a quarter of medical students and nearly half experience anxiety or burnout. These alarming figures highlight an urgent need for targeted institutional interventions to address student mental health and wellbeing. We implemented peer-led facilitated discussion sessions to support early-stage medical students. The primary objective of this study was to determine whether participation in the discussions significantly altered students’ perceptions of their own emotional and social wellbeing. The study involved reviewing the impact of six student-led sessions. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected anonymously using a 5-point Likert scale and open-ended questions to evaluate the students’ perceptions. Wellbeing ratings were converted to a numerical scale, with poor assigned as 1 and excellent as 5. Statistics were performed using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. One hundred seventy students were invited to participate in the sessions voluntarily. 58 students (34%) attended at least one session, with 28 students completing the associated questionnaire. There was a significant improvement in wellbeing scores after attending sessions (from a mean of 3.25 ± 1.06 to 3.89 ± 0.86, P < 0.001). 93% of respondents reported an overall positive effect on their wellbeing, with 2 students (7%) remaining neutral. 96% reported that they felt comfortable sharing their thoughts and feelings during the sessions. 96% agreed that the discussion was relevant to their experiences as medical students, with 100% reporting that the sessions helped them feel more connected to their peers and colleagues. 93% stated they were comfortable with the cohort of students, and 100% agreed that the facilitators added value. 100% of respondents said they would attend sessions again. Qualitative analysis revealed ‘peer support’, ‘connection and community’, ‘catharsis and dialogue’, ‘combatting imposter syndrome’ and having a ‘safe space’ for discussion as themes relating to the impact of attending the sessions. These results suggest that peer-facilitated discussion can be an effective tool for enhancing early-stage medical students’ emotional and social wellbeing and developing community and a sense of connection.