Using standardized patient instructors to teach health promotion interviewing skills

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Health Promotion and Disease Prevention

Background:

• Medical students possess knowledge but lack practical skills in health promotion and disease prevention (HPDP).
• An existing methodology utilizing standardized patient instructors (SPIs) was adapted to teach HPDP skills.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of using lay standardized patient instructors (SPIs) in teaching health promotion and disease prevention skills to medical students.

Main Methods:

• 104 medical students participated in one-to-one sessions with 13 trained lay SPIs during their family medicine clerkship.
• Sessions included doctor-patient interviews and specific feedback from SPIs using a validated scale.
• Encounters were videotaped to assess student performance and feedback effectiveness.

Main Results:

• SPI feedback was identified by 90%-96% of students as the most valuable program component.
• Students reported high likelihood of using acquired skills and significant learning gains.
• Student self-assessments aligned with SPI assessments, indicating effective skill acquisition.

Conclusions:

• Lay SPIs represent a potent educational resource for enhancing medical students' HPDP skills.
• The adapted methodology proved effective in improving practical skills and confidence in health promotion and disease prevention.