Sensitizing undergraduate medical students to consultation skills: A pilot study

Background. Good consultation skills help physicians to diagnose the problems of the patient more accurately, and foster a therapeutic relationship. We describe a pilot study that used role-play with peers as a method to sensitize first clinical year medical students to consultation skills. Methods. Students were divided into groups of three where one acted as a doctor, the second as a patient and the third as an observer. Students were asked to perform a role-play of a prepared clinical scenario where the patient had a hidden fear of malignancy. Observations were recorded in a simplified Calgary– Cambridge consultation checklist. Students’ feedback and their emotions written after the role-play were analysed and discussed. Assessment of their learning was done with an objective structured clinical examination. Results. Students’ feedback revealed that they were sensitized to the importance of starting the consultation with an open question, listening to the opening statement, non-verbal communication, exploring patient’s perspectives and how to close the consultation. The learning happened in the first (reaction) level of Kirkpatrick’s Evaluation Framework for all students and up to the second (learning) level for some students. The students actively participated in the learning process and felt they had a real-life experience of consultation. Conclusion. This pilot study showed that role-play with peers is an effective method of sensitizing first clinical year students to consultation skills and giving them a real-life experience of a consultation. Repeated sessions are needed during each clinical year and internship to reinforce the learning.