Creating a safe space: medical students' perspectives on using actor simulations for learning communication skills

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Communication Skills Training
• Qualitative Research Methods

Background:

• Communication skills are crucial for clinical competence in health professions.
• Simulations are widely used in medical education to teach communication skills.
• This study explores fourth-year medical students' experiences with simulations for doctor-patient communication.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore fourth-year medical students' experiences learning versatile doctor-patient communication through simulations with trained actors.
• To identify key themes and learning outcomes from student reflections on simulation-based communication training.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative methodology using inductive content analysis.
• Analysis of reflective writings from 208 fourth-year medical students.
• Data gathered after a communication skills course, with informed consent.

Main Results:

• Eight key themes emerged, including safe practice, valuing feedback, gaining perspectives, and increased confidence.
• Students learned about patient care, emotional dynamics, and medical errors.
• Some students provided critical perspectives, with a few reporting no new learning.

Conclusions:

• A safe learning environment is vital for skill development and feedback absorption.
• Students predominantly valued simulation training with actors and feedback during debriefing.
• Continuous improvement of simulations and addressing teacher prioritization of biomedical knowledge are essential.