Table 4 Data display of verbatim statements in themes and sub-themes ‘Benefits to learners’

Knowledge exchange

I think having clinical experiences to reflect on and cases to present is the most helpful for me as a student. And when you are learning with medical students at the same level you have the same level of clinical experiences, and you don’t have as many things to reflect on. But the registrars have those experiences. And they (registrars) get a bit further away from the pathophysiology. So that sort of less clinical knowledge is something that’s more fresh to me; so they get kind of reminders about that from me in teaching sessions. (Male medical student#1 at P2)

And we had multi-level teaching, so it was just a wonderful forum for sharing knowledge and for bouncing ideas and for learning and for relationship building. (Male supervisor#1 at P2)

Vertical peer learning

They (the registrars) get a bit further away from the pathophysiology. So less clinically relevant knowledge is something that’s fresh to me because I have just learned it, so they get kind of reminders about that from my input. (Male medical student#1 at P2). really like having the student because we did the same course and she’s a couple of years below me, so I’m just delighted to be able to teach someone something. (Female intern#1 at P2)

The registrars taught the interns, the registrars and interns taught the medical students. In fact, that’s where most of the teaching happened for the medical students, in a lot of sense, to build them up to the exams, and also when the registrars were having exams they taught each other. (Male supervisor#1 at P2)

Positive learning environment

But it’s nice to have them (students) around and I think if we’re just out of university so we’re still sort of mucking around and still have that mentality, so it’s kind of nice to have students around.(Female intern#1 at P3). Because you have to feel safe to [ask questions] and in the learning sessions that I talked about, every Tuesday, we can present things that that have come up as a point of interest, and so that keeps it current for the learners. (Female intern#2 at P3)

I listen, you can hear them, they’re laughing, they’re enjoying it, they’re challenging each other and they jump on the computer there, and they will bring it up on line. From that perspective they’re positive about what they’re doing, it’s not a threatening environment. It’s not oh jeez, we’ve got to go to the teaching session. (Male practice manager#1 at P2)

Supportive network for learners

When if there has been a difficult patient that’s frustrated you about something, you can vent (to the other learners), and I think everyone is aware that the content of what’s coming out of your mouth, when it does sound harsh, is just a vent and its actually affected me and I just need to say something, just to get it out there and have someone just sort of be there. (Female intern#1 at P1)

So that they (the learners) form this nucleus of like people, may be form friendships and that sort of stuff, which helps out; it helps out not only between the clinics but also if they’re working in the hospital. (Female receptionist#1 at P3)