J Physician Assist Educ. 2023 May 2. doi: 10.1097/JPA.0000000000000503. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: Adolescent patients make up a significant number of the primary care population, yet medical training specific to adolescents is inadequate and challenging.2 Medical trainees report feeling less competent caring for adolescents compared to caring for infants and children.3 Framed after an adolescent HEADSS (Home, Education/employment, peer group Activities, Drugs, Sexuality and Suicide/depression) interview role-play activity for pediatric clerkship students,1,2 this study sought to investigate the impact that facilitated role-play would have on physician assistant (PA) students’ self-perceived knowledge, skills, and comfort in interviewing adolescents.
METHODS: A coached role-play focused on skills used during a HEADSS interview was used to demonstrate the communication skills inherently important to adolescent encounters. Pre- and postintervention surveys were administered.
RESULTS: Data from 2 sequential cohorts (n = 88) showed statistically significant improvement in pre- versus postsession self-perception of knowledge (p ≤ 0.0001) and skills (p ≤ 0.0001), but not in comfort (p = 0.1610).
DISCUSSION: Teaching PA students how best to engage with adolescents can be done effectively via coached role-play.
PMID:37133891 | DOI:10.1097/JPA.0000000000000503
