Pediatric Well-Child Interview Standardized Patient Scenarios

Abstract

Abstract Introduction This module was created because, although students in the pediatrics course in the Baylor College of Medicine's Physician Assistant Program were well-versed in how to do a problem-specific interview and could apply these skills to pediatric patients, their faculty perceived that they were struggling in their ability to ask questions about healthy children for their well-child visits. Additional feedback from their clinical preceptors stated they were having difficulty knowing what to ask during these visits. This exercise was developed to familiarize learners with the concepts explored during a pediatric well-child interview and to familiarize learners with the use of common tools and charts used in the maintenance of healthy pediatric patients. Methods Learners are provided with presession pediatric development reading materials. Students then conduct a well-child interview with either a standardized patient or grader posing as a parent. The interview process first starts with the student randomly selecting the age of their patient. They are then given two minutes to read from a provided learner packet and take any necessary notes. They then have 17 minutes to complete the interview and skills portion (e.g., providing anticipatory guidance, elicit an immunization schedule, plotting growth charts, overall oral presentation). After the interview is over, the grader gives the student feedback on communication skills, their use of the charts and graphs, and additional questions that might have been appropriate to ask. Results The students have commented that it is has been helpful. Their preceptors have also noticed that they are more prepared to conduct these interviews on their clinical rotations. Discussion This tool is a way to help students learn the general components of the pediatric interview, as well as how the focus of the interview questions changes depending on the age of the patient. It is also allows for instructors to evaluate students' performance of the pediatric interview in a standardized patient setting.

Keywords

• Infant
• Standardized Patient
• Newborn
• Child
• Pediatrics
• Well-Child