Linear virtual patients versus student role-plays in teaching patient-centeredness: a mixed-method study.

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Communication Skills Training
• Healthcare Simulation

Background:

• Effective communication skills are crucial for patient-centered care.
• Traditional role-play and virtual patient simulations are common educational tools.
• Assessing the comparative impact of these methods on student attitudes is important.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare patient-centered attitudes between medical students using virtual patients versus role-play.
• To evaluate student satisfaction with each teaching method.
• To explore student perceptions of virtual patient and role-play learning.

Main Methods:

• A mixed-methods study involving 122 third-year medical students.
• Random allocation to virtual patient or role-play groups.
• Assessment of patient-centered attitudes using the Patient-Practitioner Orientation Scale (PPOS) pre- and post-intervention.
• Satisfaction measured via questionnaire; perceptions explored through semi-structured interviews.

Main Results:

• No significant differences in patient-centered attitudes (PPOS scores) between groups.
• Equivalence testing confirmed similar outcomes within a 0.5-point margin.
• Role-play group reported higher satisfaction (p = .001).
• Qualitative data indicated role-play's interpersonal engagement and virtual patients' stress-reduction benefits.

Conclusions:

• Both virtual patients and role-play yield equivalent effects on patient-centered attitudes.
• Students preferred role-play for realism but valued virtual patients for reflection and reduced stress.
• Hybrid approaches combining both methods warrant future investigation.