ABSTRACT
Learning in ambulatory settings can be aided by teaching activities which do not slow the pace of the clinic. In this study, simulated-parent role-play scripts were developed for use with students prior to seeing actual patients. During the learning exercise, a faculty member role-played various parents, a medical student role-played the physician while another student observed. Students were randomly assigned to either the Treatment Group (participated in role-play exercise) or Control Group (did not participate). Sixteen Treatment Group students completed approximately 20 role-play cases on the first day of the Pediatrics clerkship. Both Treatment and Control Group students were then individually assessed one to two days later using two role-play cases by an examiner blinded to the students' experimental status. Student performance was scored on three criteria: history taking, differential diagnosis, and correct diagnosis. The Treatment Group achieved higher scores than the Control Group for history taking, but not for differential diagnosis or correct diagnosis. Role-play learning exercises can be used to improve student history taking in an ambulatory clinic prior to seeing actual patients. Potential use of role-play cases as a screening exam to exempt some students from the role-play learning exercise is discussed.