[Seminar on reciprocal physical examination for structuring personal experience within the scope of medical...

During medical training, two aspects are usually neglected: practical exercise of technical skills, and the psychological and emotional aspects of the physician's action. A training model is described which is designed to assist in remedying this situation. In a theme-centered sensitivity training group, preclinical medical students of both sexes become acquainted with the basic techniques of physical examination and practice them under mutual guidance. These aspects of technical skill are also compared with the inseparably linked emotional angle. By changing repeatedly from the physician to the patient role and vice versa, role-specific tasks and their implications for practical medical action can be rendered transparent and discussed. The basic setting, exercises developed by the author, and experience with six groups (n = 72 participants) over a period of 2 years are described and briefly discussed.