Purpose: This pilot study developed and assessed resident satisfaction with a simulation-based curriculum to improve resident skill with giving difficult news within the field of obstetrics and gynecology using a video conferencing platform.
Background: Interpersonal and Communication Skills is a core competency for Graduate Medical Education yet learning to give difficult news is not typically emphasized formally in clinical training. While residents and providers consistently deliver difficult news in OBGYN, few residency programs have developed curriculum to improve resident skills in this area. In addition, only limited experience has been reported using virtual modalities for teaching communication skills in graduate medical education.
Methods: A sequential curriculum was developed using simulated patient (SP) cases allowing residents to practice common bad news scenarios from diverse OBGYN clinical settings. In the first session, residents participated in a 2 station Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) via videoconferencing platform and evaluated and given feedback by SPs. This was followed by a virtual in-depth skills workshop with SPs and facilitated by OBGYN faculty. A post-session survey was sent to the residents regarding their experience.
Results: Ten residents participated and 8 (86%) filled out the post-session survey. Seven (87.5%) residents agreed that the session addressed the areas they find most challenging when giving difficult news. All residents agreed that the tools provided for addressing emotions when giving difficult news were useful. All residents felt that a videoconferencing platform was at least somewhat effective.
Discussions: Training in difficult news skills can be useful for residents and can be feasibly accomplished using virtual platforms.
Topics: CREOG & APGO Annual Meeting, 2022, Faculty, Clerkship Director, Clerkship Coordinator, Osteopathic Faculty, Residency Director, Residency Coordinator, Patient Care, Interpersonal & Communication Skills, GME, Virtual Patient, Simulation, Standardized Patient, General Ob-Gyn,
Sarah Watson, MD, University of Iowa; Andrea Greiner, MD, MHA; Cathy Bachur, MD; Colleen Stockdale, MD, MS; Marcy Rosenbaum, PhD
