Clinical Interviewing Skills Essay

Teaching clinical interviewing skills using role-playing: conveying empathy to performing a suicide assessment: A primer for individual role-playing and scripted group role-playing. (2015). Shea, S.C., Barney, C. Psychiatr Clin North Am.

Summary: This article introduces role-playing in the individual and the group format using scripted group role-playing (SGRP). The goal of the article is to give guidance on how to effectively conduct a role play in order to create meaningful learning opportunities. SGRP may enhance critical complex interviewing skills related to suicide assessment and undercovering domestic violence across all health care disciplines, which is a goal that has not yet been achievable. Clinical interviewing skills can be taught and skill retention tested using both the traditional individual role-playing and in scripted group role-playing. Supervisors can use SGRP to train up to 28 trainees synchronously in interviewing assignments as complex as uncovering domestic violence and sensitively addressing suicidal ideation. This method gets rid of “acting” from role-play

The goal of the intervention was for medical students to perform both a doctor and patient role, in order to conduct an interactive learning platform that stimulated students in addition to cultivate their clinical knowledge and communication skills. Participants reported that they improved in engagements, confidence, empathy, and that the sessions prepared them for internships and exams. Students reported that RBL sessions were more engaging, informative and relevant than other teaching methods. Respondents indicated that performing the patient role was a valuable experience and they had an increased understanding of the patients’ perspective. The RBL approach has been adopted for use at all clinical sites in the updated University of Melbourne MD curriculum and