Endocrine and psychological stress response in simulated doctor-patient interactions in medical education.

Background: Training of doctor-patient interactions by means of patient actors is considered a useful didactic tool in medical education. However, though students report it as being highly stressful little systematic research has verified this notion.

Aims: To assess the endocrine and psychological stress responses of students in the doctor vs. the observer role in simulated doctor-patient interactions.

Methods: Salivary cortisol and anxiety was assessed in N = 86 participants of a mandatory course on doctor-patient interactions on three consecutive days. During two of these days they were in the observer role and gave feedback to another student and on one of these days they were in the doctor role and were being given feedback. Saliva was sampled at 4 points in time per day: prior to interaction (T1); after watching the video of the interaction (T2); after feedback (T3); after observation of another interaction (T4). Assessments on observer days took place at the respective time points and at the same time of the day. 3-way mixed ANOVAs were computed with the factors "day of data sampling" (F1); "day with doctor role" (F2); "measurement time"(F3).

Results: Significant two-way interactions F1 × F2 and three-way interactions F1 × F2 × F3 were observed both for cortisol and for anxiety (all p < .001). Neither cortisol nor anxiety were related to task severity. Anxiety at T1 correlated with cortisol increase from T1 to T2 (r = .266; p = .013).

Discussion: Results confirm that playing the doctor role in a simulated doctor-patient interaction represents a significant stressor in medical students. Effect sizes considerably exceed those observed in laboratory stress. This brings about new questions regarding moderating factors, effects of repetitions and relationship to medical performance. The ecological validity of this stressor can also make it a useful tool in basic endocrine research.