Playing doctor: Simulation in medical school as affective practice

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Sociology of Medicine

Background:

• Simulated patient encounters are crucial in modern medical training.
• Gynecological Teaching Associates (GTAs) provide hands-on pelvic examination training using their own bodies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the role of simulation, specifically GTA sessions, in the professional socialization of medical students.
• To understand how medical students embody medical culture through simulated experiences.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative research utilizing interviews and archival data.
• Analysis of perspectives from medical students, faculty, and GTAs.
• Theoretical framework of medical habitus and affective practice.

Main Results:

• Simulations like GTA sessions highlight tensions between artificiality and authenticity in training.
• Medical students learn to manage emotions and develop a medical habitus through these practices.
• Simulation is identified as a key form of affective practice in medical education.

Conclusions:

• Simulated patient encounters are integral to professional socialization in medical education.
• Affective practice through simulation shapes students' capacity to feel and manage emotions, crucial for embodying medical culture.
• Understanding simulation's role offers insights into pedagogical practices that foster authentic patient care.