Evaluating students' empathy perception and clinical performance through simulation in an ambulatory care elective

The objective of this study was to evaluate how a simulation-based learning experience (SBLE) with a standardized patient (SP) in an ambulatory care elective affects students' own perception to convey empathy. Secondary objectives included faculty's perception of students' ability to convey empathy in the SBLE and assessment of the Pharmacists' Patient Care Process (PPCP) and Social Determinants of Health (SDoH) in written care plans versus patient communication.

The "Ambulatory Care: Applying Key Concepts" elective is offered to students at the Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey. The SBLE engaged students in a clinical scenario using immersive simulation strategies. The primary endpoint was the change in student-reported Kiersma-Chen Empathy Scale (KCES) scores pre- to post-SBLE. Secondary endpoints included differences in student-reported and faculty-assessed KCES scores during the SBLE, and SDoH and PPCP rubric scores between a written SOAP note and the SBLE.

Median student-reported KCES scores increased after the SBLE. Faculty-observed median KCES scores were lower than student-reported median KCES scores when select questions were evaluated during SBLE performance. When comparing students' written SOAP notes to SBLE performance, median SDoH and PPCP scores were lower during the SBLE.

Students' perception of their ability to convey empathy increased after a SBLE with an SP, but the faculty perceived a poorer demonstration of empathy. This research provides more support for using SBLE as an academic tool to prepare pharmacy students for practice.