Single-Day Simulation-Based Training Improves Communication and Psychiatric Skills of Medical Students

Abstract

Background: Use of standardized (or simulated) patients (SP) is considered an effective teaching method for improving clinical and communication skills. This study assesses the effect of a single-day simulated patients (SP)-based training course on medical students’ communication and basic skills in clinical psychiatry during their psychiatry rotation in a university-affiliated tertiary medical center. Methods: Forty-two third-year medical students participated. Communication and basic skills in clinical psychiatry were evaluated by a modified Four Habits Coding Scale (4HCS) and the psychiatric interview coding scale before and after SP training. An actual patient interview by the students 1 week after the training was evaluated by an attending psychiatrist blinded to the student’s score during the SP-based training. Self-report questionnaires on satisfaction from the training and its impact on their self-confidence were administered at the end of training. Findings: The mean pre-training 4HCS score of 33.9 increased to 52.3 post-training (p < 0.001). The mean psychiatric interview coding scale score increased from 4.33 to 5.36 (p = 0.002). The self-report questionnaire yielded a mean score of 4.21 on a 1–5 Likert scale, implying high levels of satisfaction and self-confidence. Conclusions: A single SP-based training course of medical students sufficed to improve clinical and communication skills in psychiatric settings and enhance their subjective perception of those skills.