[Evaluation of the clinical course Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy employing standardized patients].
Doering S, Schneider G, Burgmer M, Sensmeier J, Schrewe FB, Friederichs H, Heuft G
Research article (journal)Abstract
Since the Winter Term 2008/2009 the Medical School of the University of Muenster, Germany, has used standardized patients in the clinical course Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy with fourth-year undergraduate students performing bio-psycho-social anamnesis on these standardized patients. We wanted to evaluate the influence of the course on the empathy of the students.A total of 107 students participated in the standardized patient program during the Winter Term 2009/2010, with 90 (84.1 %) completing the Jefferson Scale of Physician Empathy before and after the course. In addition, we conducted a standard evaluation of the medical faculty.The pre-post comparison revealed a significant increase in empathy (d = 0.331, p = .001). The standard evaluation yielded a high satisfaction among the course participants, though several students did assess the course critically.The implementation of a standardized patient program in psychosomatics and psychotherapy proved to be of value, since it increased empathy of the students and received a positive evaluation. To prevent the students from being humiliated, it is of particular importance to implement a gentle and tactful feedback.
Details about the publication
Authors from the University of Münster
| Burgmer, Markus | Clinic of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy |
| Doering, Stephan | Clinic for Prosthetic Dentistry and Biomaterials |
| Friederichs, Hendrik | Institute of Medical Training and Academic Affairs |
| Heuft, Gereon | Clinic of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy |
| Schneider, Gudrun | Clinic of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy |
| Schrewe, Franz Bernhard | Institute of Medical Training and Academic Affairs |
| Sensmeier, Janina | Institute of Medical Training and Academic Affairs |