MedEdPORTAL (Jan 2015)
Novice Health Care Students Learn Intimate Partner Violence Communication Skills through Standardized Patient Encounters
Abstract
Abstract Introduction Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a prevalent public health problem, yet many physicians feel inadequately prepared to identify or treat affected patients. Education of health care students on IPV will become even more important since new guidelines issued under authority of Affordable Care Act will require IPV screening and counseling to be one of eight new preventive health services that patients should receive. Methods This resource provides novice health care students IPV communication tools and practice through use of two standardized patient cases. The session occurred during an Art and Practice of Medicine course, a doctoring course during the first 2 years of medical school. The session is part of a longitudinal intimate partner violence curriculum. During year two, students are exposed to didactics on IPV and visit a shelter for IPV survivors. This module takes place at the conclusion of year two of medical school, prior to students beginning clerkships. IPV education continues into the third and fourth years of medical school through direct patient encounters, as well as didactics specific to a specialty (e.g., obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics). Results The session occurred in spring of 2013 with second-year medical students (n = 49). Students discussed various aspects of the case including techniques to isolate a patient from her relative during the interview, mandatory reporting requirements, and how long a student should question if the patient is not ready to disclose violence. Facilitators noted students to be engaged and interactive during case presentation and discussion. Discussion Traditionally, IPV has been introduced as a series of didactics; however, our program employs additional experiential teaching methodologies such as exposure to survivor accounts, visit to a shelter, and role-playing with SPs.
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