The standardized patient: development of clinical skills and communication in medical students

Abstract

Introduction: The advancement of technology in medical education has facilitated the learning of clinical skills through simulation as an interactive teaching technique. The involvement of standardized patients (SPs) helps in avoiding errors in real patients.

Objective: To assess the use of SPs as a tool for the development of clinical skills and communication.

Method: A prospective, analytical study with a quantitative approach was conducted involving 21 students from the medical faculty of Universidad Veracruzana. In the first phase, SPs were trained to portray three clinical cases. A virtual theoretical-practical evaluation of knowledge, clinical skills, and attitudes was administered, with the presentation of the clinical cases represented by six experienced SPs. Two circuits were organized with three dynamic stations each, and each station had an evaluating professor. Data analysis utilized Cronbach’s alpha to determine instrument reliability, ANOVA with Cochran’s test, and intraclass correlation coefficient, with p<0.05 for statistical significance.

Results: The students had a mean age of 23±2 years. The evaluation of students by SPs yielded a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.978, p<0.0001. Evaluation of students yielded a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.949, with a correlation coefficient of p<0.0001. Evaluation of students by SPs yielded a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.918, with p<0.0001. ANOVA with Cochran’s test yielded a value of 199.56, with p<0.0001.

Conclusions: A high level of agreement was found among evaluators through the analysis of the results of the instruments used for communication skills evaluation. Areas of opportunity were identified to support students in relation to their knowledge.