Improving student understanding and management of patients through role-playing and video taping

A teaching program that uses video tape and simulated patients assists the student in developing skills necessary for good professional relationships with patients and augments the student's ability in patient inverviewing and effective interview behavior. Role-playing by selected drama students and community theatre actors involves common problems encountered in the optometrist's office and management of problem patients (angry, aggressive, shy, withdrawn, talkative, flirt, hypocondriac, etc.).