Introducing Telepsychiatry to Medical Students with Simulated Patients: An Innovation by Necessity

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Psychiatry Training
• COVID-19 Pandemic Impact

Background:

• COVID-19 pandemic disrupted traditional medical student-patient contact.
• Virtual teaching modalities were rapidly implemented for medical education.
• Psychiatry clerkship experienced a loss of direct patient care experience.

Purpose of the Study:

• To adapt simulated patient encounters for psychiatry clerkship training.
• To assess medical students' clinical skills in a virtual setting.
• To provide a method for direct observation of student performance.

Main Methods:

• Adapted previous video-based simulated encounters to live, individual sessions.
• Students reviewed patient charts, conducted simulated encounters, and presented cases.
• Faculty provided individualized feedback on oral presentations and patient notes.

Main Results:

• The adapted simulation process was well-received by students and faculty.
• Direct observation of student clinical skills was achieved despite physical distancing.
• Simulated patients reported positive experiences and valued their contribution.

Conclusions:

• The developed process enabled observation of essential patient evaluation skills.
• Simulated encounters offer a viable alternative for clinical skills assessment in psychiatry.
• Educational innovations are crucial for maintaining medical training during public health crises.