1,999
Views
37
CrossRef citations to date
0
Altmetric
Twelve Tips

Twelve tips for using applied improvisation in medical education

, &
Pages 351-356 | Published online: 12 Oct 2017
 

Abstract

Future physicians will practice medicine in a more complex environment than ever, where skills of interpersonal communication, collaboration and adaptability to change are critical. Applied improvisation (or AI) is an instructional strategy which adapts the concepts of improvisational theater to teach these types of complex skills in other contexts. Unique to AI is its very active teaching approach, adapting theater games to help learners meet curricular objectives. In medical education, AI is particularly helpful when attempting to build students’ comfort with and skills in complex, interpersonal behaviors such as effective listening, person-centeredness, teamwork and communication. This article draws on current evidence and the authors’ experiences to present best practices for incorporating AI into teaching medicine. These practical tips help faculty new to AI get started by establishing goals, choosing appropriate games, understanding effective debriefing, considering evaluation strategies and managing resistance within the context of medical education.

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflicts of interests. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of this article.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Krista Hoffmann-Longtin

Krista Hoffmann-Longtin, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor of Communication Studies at Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis, and an Assistant Dean for Faculty Development at Indiana University School of Medicine.

Jonathan P. Rossing

Jonathan P. Rossing, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor and Department Chair of Communication Studies at Gonzaga University.

Elizabeth Weinstein

Elizabeth Weinstein, M.D., is an Associate Professor of Clinical Emergency Medicine and Pediatrics at Indiana University School of Medicine.

Log in via your institution

Log in to Taylor & Francis Online

PDF download + Online access

  • 48 hours access to article PDF & online version
  • Article PDF can be downloaded
  • Article PDF can be printed
USD 65.00 Add to cart

Issue Purchase

  • 30 days online access to complete issue
  • Article PDFs can be downloaded
  • Article PDFs can be printed
USD 771.00 Add to cart

* Local tax will be added as applicable

Related Research

People also read lists articles that other readers of this article have read.

Recommended articles lists articles that we recommend and is powered by our AI driven recommendation engine.

Cited by lists all citing articles based on Crossref citations.
Articles with the Crossref icon will open in a new tab.