Standardized Patient Encounters and Individual Case-Based Simulations Improve Students' Confidence and Promote Reflection: A Preliminary Study

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Context Simulations and standardized patient (SP) encounters are used to provide clinical experiences for students. In athletic training, no research has examined the perceived educational benefits of these interventions. Objective To explore athletic training students' perceptions regarding small group SP encounters and individual case-based simulations (CBSs). Design Grounded theory. Setting One midwestern university. Patients or Other Participants Nine athletic training students (3 males, 6 females; 20 ± 0.833 years old) who enrolled in a lower extremity orthopaedic evaluation course during their first or second semester in an athletic training program. Main Outcome Measure(s) Semistructured interviews were recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using open coding and axial and selective coding (ie, to develop themes/threads). To ensure trustworthiness, we used member checks and peer debriefing. Results For both the small group SP counter and individual CBS, 2 themes emerged: (1) reflection-on-specific action and (2) increased confidence. Participants reflected on both experiences when providing patient care. Participants felt that both encounters could improve their confidence with regard to future clinical evaluations. Specific to the small group SP encounters, peer-assisted learning emerged as a theme. Participants felt they learned from and with each other when performing the evaluation together. Specific to the individual CBS, organization of thoughts emerged as a theme. During the individual CBSs, participants felt they developed, controlled, and organized their thoughts during the evaluation. Conclusions Both teaching encounters can be integrated into the curriculum of an athletic training program. Each strategy provides students with a nonthreatening educational experience with no harm to patients. In addition, each encounter can correspond to content taught in the classroom or laboratory. The long-term benefits of small group SP encounters and CBSs are unclear, and more research is needed.