Lifelong Learning Programme

This project has been funded with support from the European Commission.
This web site reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.

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Training of Lecturers

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This training package is addressed to lecturers and trainers in the field of paediatrics on how to assist paediatric undergraduate and resident students in developing and consolidating their soft skills for improving the quality of paediatric services.

Communicating with Other Health Care Staff in Pediatrics

Table of Content

5.4. Teaching Soft Skills – Strategies and Methods
5.4.1. Standardized Patients/Simulations
The opportunity to practise key skills and receive constructive feedback of performance is essential. Standardized patients and simulations give students and professionals the opportunity to improve their soft skills in this way. This teaching method is particularly useful also in order to increase communication between health care staff.

One of the crucial areas when utilizing Standardized patients-based assessment is the quality and consistency assurance of their portrayal of the case and their ability to fill in checklists in an adequate way. Shirazi M. et al. wanted to assess the validity and reliability of SPs’ ability to assess students’ communication skill via a Calgary-Cambridge checklist: they showed that trained Standardized patients can be used as a valid tool to assess medical students’ communication skills, which is also more cost effective and reduces work load of medical faculties.
Online Resources
  • Assessing communication skills with Standardized patients/simulationsShirazi, M., Labaf, A., Monjazebi, F. et al., Assessing medical students' communication skills by the use of standardized patients: emphasizing standardized patients' quality assurance. Acad. Psychiatry (2014) 38: 354)
    Cross-sectional and correlational study showing that trained Standardized patients can be used as a valid tool to assess medical students' communication skills, reducing work load of medical faculties.

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This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This web site reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.