Student Dr. Elise Brewster of Apex remembers what it was like being a first-year student at the Campbell University Jerry M. Wallace School of Medicine (CUSOM).
She also remembers how beneficial it was to have someone there to help. Someone she was comfortable talking with, such as a friend, a peer.
Brewster, now in her third year at the med school, is the sole recipient of the Academic Center for Excellence Peer Learning Partner of the Year Award for 2024-25. She is also one of several students recognized for their outstanding service as Peer Learning Partners during the 2024-25 academic year, says Dr. Amy Hinkelman, executive director of Academic Support and Assessment at the medical school.
Hinkelman also manages the Peer Learning Partner program at the med school, providing academic support from student peers in the form of one-on-one tutoring, weekly drop-in sessions and workshops.
“Receiving the ACE Peer Learning Partner of the Year award is incredibly meaningful to me,” says Brewster, who devoted nearly 140 hours in service to her fellow peers.
“I put a lot of heart into tutoring last year, so it feels really special to know that effort was recognized and supported by CUSOM. I tutor because I genuinely enjoy it; being just one year ahead, I understand where the first-year students — now current second-years — are coming from, and I remember how helpful it was to have someone approachable to turn to.”
The CUSOM ACE Peer Learning Partner Program totaled 732 hours of service delivered by five Master of Science in Biomedical Sciences year-two students, 23 second-year medical school students and three third-year medical students as CUSOM ACE Peer Learning Partners.
This past year, CUSOM ACE piloted a new program in which first-year students have the opportunity to seek additional support outside of the normal anatomy lab hours from Peer Learning Partners. Brewster, one of these learning partners, helped initiate and make this new program a success and a popular resource for first-year DO students.
The Peer Learning Partners, in addition to having a passion to support their peers must meet rigorous academic criteria and complete a mandatory training program, Hinkelman says.
“Their services have a significant and meaningful impact on the academic success of their peers and enhance the overall supportive learning environment at CUSOM.”
The learning partners were invited to the ACE Peer Learning Partner Appreciation Luncheon and received a Certificate of Service Recognition. Seven of the learning partners were recognized for their outstanding peer learning service for their work during the 2024-25 academic year.
Laura Petrera was recognized as the MSBS Outstanding Peer Learning Partner. Second-year DO learning partners recognized were Brewster, Brianna Lockwood, Monica Mercurio, Greta Nebeker and Isaac Nebeker. Cole Mueller was recognized as the Outstanding Peer Learning Partner for third-year DO students.
These Outstanding Peer Learning Partners collectively delivered more than 50 percent of the total peer-tutoring hours for the year, Hinkelman says.
Peer learning, she says, is not only beneficial to the students using these resources but also to the Peer Learning Partners themselves, as they further advance their interpersonal skills, build confidence and learn how to be better communicators — vital when working with patients and their families.
For Brewster, some of her favorite moments as a learning partner came in the anatomy lab.
“It can be an overwhelming experience at first, and I loved being able to help students feel more confident and grounded there. As anatomy learning partners, we started a drop-in program in the lab to help students prepare for practical exams. It seemed to be a real success, and the students were always very appreciative.
Tutoring, Brewster says, has also helped her to grow, academically and professionally.
“It reinforces my own learning in an incredibly engaging way — “learn it, do it, teach it” really holds true. And getting to watch students grow more confident, knowing I played a small role in that, is incredibly rewarding.”