Abstract
Standardized patients (SPs) were used in a 9-week Introduction to Psychodynamic Psychotherapy course for 11 first-year psychiatry residents. After 7 weeks of coursework, each resident conducted a simulated initial psychotherapy session. The SPs used were experienced in simulating psychiatric disorders and were free to use as much or as little personal history as they wished. Session ratings by the SPs afforded written feedback to the residents. The sessions were videotaped and selected segments viewed and discussed by the class. Residents kept their tapes and were encouraged to review them on their own and with their supervisors. Residents, SPs, and class instructor all rated the experience very positively. Standardized patients may be a useful adjunct to psychotherapy education. They can provide valuable learning opportunities without giving rise to concerns that complicate the videotaping of actual patients.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Norman GR, Barrows HS, Gliva G, et al: Simulated Patients in Assessing Clinical Competence. Edited by Neufeld VR, Norman GR. New York, Springer, 1985
Vu NV, Barrows HS: Use of standardized patients in clinical assessments: recent developments and measurement findings. Educational Researcher 1994; 23(3): 23–30
Hodges B, Turnbull J, Cohen R, et al: Evaluating communication skills in the objective structured clinical examination format: reliability and generalizability. Med Educ 1996; 30: 38–43
Sanson-Fisher RW, Poole AD: Simulated patients and the assessment of medical students’ interpersonal skills. Med Educ 1980; 14: 249–253
Edinger W, Robertson J, Skeel J, et al: Using standardized patients to teach clinical ethics. Medical Education Online 2001. www.med-ed-online.org
Norman GR, Tugwell P: A comparison of resident performance on real and simulated patients. Journal of Medical Education 1982; 57: 708–715
ACGME competencies: suggested best methods for evaluation. ACGME/ABMS Joint Initiative: Toolbox of Assessment Methods, Version 1.1, September 2000. Available at www.acgme.org/Outcome/ToolTable.pdf (accessed 7/20/01)
Norton J: The use of patient-actors on the oral psychiatric examination and in the residency training process. Academic Psychiatry 2000; 24: 176–177
Coyle B, Miller M, McGowen KR: Using standardized patients to teach and learn psychotherapy. Acad Med 1998; 73: 591–592
Carney PA, Dietrich AJ, Eliassen MS, et al: Recognizing and managing depression in primary care: a standardized patient study. J Fam Pract 1999; 48: 965–972
Hodges B, Regehr G, Hanson M, et al: An Objective structured clinical examination for evaluating psychiatric clinical clerks. Acad Med 1997; 72: 715–721
Hodges B, Regehr G, Hanson M, et al: Validation of an objective structured clinical examination in psychiatry. Acad Med 1998; 73: 910–912
Klamen D: The use of standardized patients in the evaluation of psychiatry clinical clerks (abstract). Association of Academic Psychiatry Annual Meeting, 1998
Hodges B, Hanson M, McNaughton N, et al: What do psychiatry residents think of an objective structured clinical examination? Academic Psychiatry 1999; 23: 198–204
Krahn LE, Sutor B, Bostwick JM: Conveying emotional realism: a challenge to using standardized patients. Acad Med 2001; 76: 216–217
Beitman B, Yue D: A new psychotherapy training program. Academic Psychiatry 1999; 23: 95–102
Stiles WB, Snow JS: Counseling session impact as viewed by novice counselors and their clients. J Couns Psychol 1984; 31: 3–12
Woodward CA, Gliva-McConvey G: The effect of simulating on standardized patients. Acad Med 1995; 70: 418–420
Vu NV, Barrows HS, Marcy M, et al: Six years of comprehensive, clinical performance-based assessment using standardized patients at the Southern Illinois University School of Medicine. Acad Med 1992; 67: 42–50
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Klamen, D.L., Yudkowsky, R. Using Standardized Patients for Formative Feedback in an Introduction to Psychotherapy Course. Acad Psychiatry 26, 168–172 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ap.26.3.168
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ap.26.3.168