The impact of a standardized patient program on student learning of communication skills.

Objective: Determine the quantitative and qualitative value of a lecture-laboratory course with standardized patients on student communication skills.

Methods: A blinded retrospective analysis was conducted on the counseling tapes of 127 students who took a lecture-laboratory course with standardized patients. A Communication Skills Assessment Form (CSAF) was used to evaluate baseline, midpoint and final tapes. Descriptive statistics and repeated measures analysis of variance were used to compare tapes. Students and standardized patients completed written survey instruments evaluating the laboratory at the end of the semester.

Results: Students had significant and progressively higher scores on the assessment across baseline, midpoint and final time points (p < or = 0.001). Students had significantly higher final assessment scores across all subsections than at baseline (p < or = 0.01). Students and standardized patients were favorable towards the laboratories and made useful recommendations.

Conclusions: A lecture-laboratory course with standardized patients had a significant impact on student communication skills across time and was well received by students and standardized patients.