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Development and Evaluation of a Simulation-Based, Medical Student Teaching Session for Communicating Bad News and Uncertainty Along the Obstetric-Neonatal Continuum

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Abstract

Many clinicians have limited training preparing them for delivery of bad or uncertain news to new or expectant parents. Pediatric and Women’s Health educators at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine developed a simulation-based education module for clinical clerks focused on addressing medical uncertainty and delivering bad news along the antenatal-neonatal care continuum. In this article, we highlight how this curriculum improved self-perceived student confidence when encountering difficult discussions with parents or parents-to-be. Additionally, this activity emphasized the shared medical care continuum between obstetricians and pediatricians in these clinical scenarios.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Drs. David Nichols and Roy Ziegelstein for their support of the development of this module during their tenures as Vice Dean for Education, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine (JHUSOM). We also acknowledge Carol Fleishman, MS, CAS-Ed, CHSE (Academic Program Manager) and standardized patients in the Johns Hopkins Medicine Simulation Center. Additionally, we appreciate the faculty and post-doctoral fellows in the Departments of Gynecology/Obstetrics and Pediatrics, JHUSOM, who precepted students during this exercise. Finally, we are indebted to Clerkship Coordinators Mrs. Rebekah Reisig (Pediatrics) and Mrs. Rebecca Slattery (WH) for their organization of students and faculty in this endeavor.

Dr. Golden developed this project during his participation in the JHUSOM Curriculum Development Program, directed by Drs. David Kern and Belinda Chen.

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Correspondence to William Christopher Golden.

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The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine Institutional Review Board approved the study under exempt status (IRB NA_00085484).

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The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest.

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Golden, W.C., Patel, S.C., Chou, B. et al. Development and Evaluation of a Simulation-Based, Medical Student Teaching Session for Communicating Bad News and Uncertainty Along the Obstetric-Neonatal Continuum. Med.Sci.Educ. 28, 211–219 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40670-017-0493-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40670-017-0493-2

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