The role of peer meetings for professional development in health science education: a qualitative analysis of reflective essays

Introduction The development of professional behaviour is an important objective for students in Health Sciences, with reflective skills being a basic condition for this development. Literature describes a variety of methods giving students opportunities and encouragement for reflection. Although the literature states that learning and working together in peer meetings fosters reflection, these findings are based on experienced professionals. We do not know whether participation in peer meetings also makes a positive contribution to the learning experiences of undergraduate students in terms of reflection. Aim The aim of this study is to gain an understanding of the role of peer meetings in students’ learning experiences regarding reflection. Method A phenomenographic qualitative study was undertaken. Students’ learning experiences in peer meetings were analyzed by investigating the learning reports in students’ portfolios. Data were coded using open coding. Results The results indicate that peer meetings created an interactive learning environment in which students learned about themselves, their skills and their abilities as novice professionals. Students also mentioned conditions for a well-functioning group. Conclusion The findings indicate that peer meetings foster the development of reflection skills as part of professional behaviour.