Peer Role-Play in a College of Korean Medicine to Improve Senior Students’ Competencies in Patient Care and Communication: A Case Analysis and Proposal for a Model

Objectives: Peer role-play (PRP) has been used in health care training simulations because standardized patient training requires considerable time and expense. This study described the implementation of clinical simulation using PRP and examined the effect.Methods: Final year students from a single college of Korean medicine engaged in PRP as part of clinical skills practice. Education tools from clinical practice guidelines were used to structure the PRP. Communication competency was assessed with the Korean Version of the Self-Efficacy Questionnaire (KSE-12). Whether this training helped to achieve graduate outcomes was evaluated on a five-point scale.Results: Fifty-nine students (53.2%) participated in the survey. Among 12 items on the KSE-12, the score for "How certain are you that you are able to successfully listen attentively to the patient?" was the highest. Further, PRP was found to be helpful for self-directed learning, establishment of one's professional identity, and the ability to communicate and manage patients. Three themes ("Benefits of role-play", "The importance of positive feedback", "Limitations and problems of role-play"), 15 categories, and 16 central meanings were derived by categorizing learners' subjective opinions about PRP.Conclusions: Study findings indicate that PRP may contribute to improving communication skills and establishing a professional identity for future Korean medicine doctors. We suggest using PRP in clinical education in colleges of Korean Medicine.