Integration of role-playing into technical skills training: a randomized controlled trial.

INTRODUCTION: Recently, efforts have been undertaken to enhance the face validity of technical skills training by introducing role-plays and standardised patients. Since little is known about the effects of role-playing with respect to the realism of a training situation and students' objective performance, we performed a randomized controlled trial.

METHODS: 36 medical students participated in videotaped small group skills-lab sessions on the topics of Doppler sonography and gastric tube insertion. One half of the students participated in role-plays and the other half practised without role-playing. Realism of the training situation was analysed by means of post-intervention self-selected student survey evaluations. Technical performance and patient-physician communication were assessed by independent ratings of the videotaped sessions.

RESULTS: The physician's role was regarded to be significantly more realistic when performing role-plays. Assessment of videotaped sessions showed that practising technical skills by performing role-plays resulted in significantly better patient-physician communication whereas students' technical performance did not differ between groups.

CONCLUSION: Introducing role-plays enhances the realism of technical skills training and leads to better patient-physician communication. Students do not seem to be overstrained by practising clinical technical skills using role-plays. We conclude that role-playing is a valuable method in practising technical skills.