The medi-drama as an instrument to teach doctor-patient relationships

Med Teach. 1989;11(3-4):321-9. doi: 10.3109/01421598909146420.

Abstract

This paper reviews an experience of the Curriculum Development Group of the College of Family Physicians of Canada in describing the doctor-patient relationship and its value in the clinical process. It proposes the use of a medi-drama or multi-scene script encompassing a broad range of bio-psycho-social-ethical issues as a practical tool to teach the doctor-patient relationship. Principles for conducting a medi-drama are presented, as are the advantages of this experiential teaching modality. An example of a specific script developed along the theme of Adult Children of Ageing Parents is described, and an evaluation of its usefulness in teaching the doctor-patient relationship is presented from feedback from seven different family medicine residency or faculty development groups. Finally, examples of the breadth of topics that can be generated from a single medi-drama are presented.

MeSH terms

  • Curriculum
  • Drama*
  • Education, Medical
  • Family Practice / education*
  • Humans
  • Literature*
  • Physician-Patient Relations*
  • Program Evaluation
  • Teaching / methods*
  • Teaching / standards