Last year I was asked to take part in a short film produced by the Graduate Entry Medicine (GEM) course at the University of Nottingham. The film aims to help demonstrate how patient simulation and their communication skills training sessions work. The UoN GEM students, more than those on any other similar course I have been involved with, benefit from high-quality communication skills training. The results are clear to see. Having worked with former GEM students later on in their career as well as having some shadowing health care providers during my wife’s pregnancy, I can be confident the way that they communicate is both professional and caring, in a way other doctors find hard to match. The first communication skills session involving patient simulation at GEM takes place in the initial week of study. Further sessions covering all modules as well as OSCE’s using simulated patents then take place regularly. This really benefits the trainees as they progress past this course into further training. The students gain confidence and skills they will rely on every day in their jobs. Not only do they get the chance to try different strategies but are also given high-level feedback from the simulator, experienced staff and their fellow students. The video above shows, not only how the students feel about the sessions, staff and patient simulators but also includes examples of role-play simulations and professional feedback from the role-player.

Work for Procommskills

I have been working with the GEM students for over ten years now, the last four of which as the simulated patient coordinator in charge of booking in all the actors. If you are interested in joining the team of simulated patients for this and other work, then please send me your details and I will be in touch. Full training can be provided as well as the opportunity to observe sessions and see how the feedback works.