“But Dr Google said…” – Training medical students how to communicate with E-patients

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Practice points

Newly developed communication training in blended-learning style significantly improved medical students’ competency when dealing face-to-face with e-patients as rated by experts and standardized patients. 95% of the students reported greater confidence when handling e-patients after training, and felt well-prepared for clinical situations. Over 90% of the participants requested the implementation of the module into the regular medical curriculum.

Figure 1. Study design. EI = early intervention group, LI = late intervention group, SPE = Simulated patient encounter. Rating: T₀–T₂ binary checklist and global item by 2 video raters, JSPPE (Jefferson scale of patient perception of physician empathy) and global item by SP, global item by students. T₁ (EI) and T₂ (LI) additionally course evaluation by students.

Figure 2. (a) Video rater: binary rating of competency. EI: early intervention; LI: late intervention. (b) Video rater: global rating of competency. EI: early intervention; LI: late intervention.

Figure 3. (a) Simulated patients: Rating of Empathy (JSPPE). EI: early intervention; LI: late intervention. (b) Simulated patients: global rating of competency. EI: early intervention; LI: late intervention.

Figure 4. Students: global rating of competency. EI: early intervention; LI: late intervention.