A COMPARISON OF 2 METHODS TO TEACH SMOKING-CESSATION TECHNIQUES TO MEDICAL-STUDENTS

Purpose. To evaluate two smoking-cessation practice exercises, one usi ng standardized patients (SPs), the other using role playing by medica l students. Method. In the spring of 1994 all 120 first-year Universit y of California, San Francisco, School of Medicine students were given lectures on the health effects of smoking and how physicians can help patients quit. Afterward some of the students were randomly assigned to two groups in which to practice counseling patients: Group 1 (n = 3 5) used SPs, Group 2 (n = 37) used role playing. Each of the Group 1 s tudents practiced smoking-cessation techniques with an SP; the SP eval uated the student on cognitive and communication skills, assigned an o verall rating, and provided feedback using a standardized form. The Gr oup 2 students (as well as the 48 students not assigned to a group) ro le-played in pairs and used the same form to provide feedback. All the students evaluated their respective practice exercises. Two weeks lat er 24 Group 1 and 31 Group 2 students participated in a clinical-skill s-assessment exercise using SPs. As in the Group 1 practice exercise, each student was evaluated by an SP on cognitive and communication ski lls and assigned an overall rating. Data were analyzed through a numbe r of statistical methods. The cost of the SP program was determined. R esults. The Group 1 students rated their practice exercise much more f avorably than did the Group 2 students. However, there was no signific ant difference between the groups in their ratings by the SPs on the c linical-skills-assessment exercise. The use of SPs cost a great deal m ore than did the use of role playing. Conclusion. Although the student s rated the SPs higher than they did the role playing, the two tools p roduced similar levels of skills attainment. The data suggest that hav ing students practice smoking-cessation techniques through role playin g may be as effective as using the more expensive SPs.