“General Hospital”: Using Skit-Writing and Role-playing to Teach Pathogenesis

Abstract

Creative writing and role-playing may help students retain course information and expand their knowledge on how topics addressed in pathogenesis are related to each other. In the ”General Hospital” assignment, students form groups to write and present a skit based on the pathogenesis of an infectious disease — leading the audience through an educational, albeit entertaining, piece related to many topics in microbiology. This four-to-six week assignment (from introduction to presentation of skits) provides students with an outlet to (1) write an entertaining scenario about topics in pathogenesis, and (2) present the information to the audience in a very natural yet accurate way.