Medical students’ attitudes toward peer physical examination at the University of Jordan: a cross-sectional study

Peer physical examination (PPE) is commonly used in medical education, offering students hands-on clinical training in a supervised setting. This study investigates medical students’ attitudes toward PPE at the University of Jordan, focusing on their acceptance, perceptions of professionalism, concerns, and influence of demographic and religious factors.A cross-sectional survey of 342 clinical-year medical students was conducted via a culturally adapted questionnaire assessing comfort with PPE, preferences for same- or opposite-sex examinations, and concerns such as ethical considerations and professional boundaries. Responses were measured via a 5-point Likert scale, and statistical analyses were performed via SPSS, with significance set at p ≤ 0.05. Response rate was 14.5%.The results indicate low acceptance of PPE (mean score: 2.93), with higher acceptance for same-sex examinations and significant discomfort regarding sensitive body regions, such as the breast and inguinal areas. Religious beliefs and gender significantly influenced attitudes. Additionally, the students expressed strong preferences for practicing on real patients (90.1%) and standardized patients (78.1%) over peer examinations. Concerns revolve around religious conflicts, professional boundaries, and the absence of explicit consent.Given students’ preference for standardized patients, curricula should incorporate them where feasible. Future research should refine these approaches to enhance medical training in diverse educational settings.