Role play in CST is reported to increase empathy and provide safe practice, but students note artificiality and poor acting authenticity¶
Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study · reviewr3·q2
Currency · newest study 2018 · checked against its sources 2026-11-01 (automated, 1 of 1 entry) · not reviewed by a person
Subclaims¶
Reading the evidence codes
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the rigour judged within that kind: what each code means.
This claim: no standardized effect is recorded in observations/ for it yet, so no benchmark reading is possible.
q2 i? Studies of role play in medical and nursing student training report increased empathy, safe practice opportunities, peer feedback value, and reservations about scenario artificiality and role players' acting skills. → Pilnick Alison 2018
Evidence¶
Pilnick Alison 2018¶
Pilnick Alison, Trusson Diane, Beeke Suzanne, O'Brien Rebecca, Goldberg Sarah, Harwood Rowan H. (2018). Using conversation analysis to inform role play and simulated interaction in communications skills training for healthcare professionals: identifying avenues for further development through a scoping review. BMC Medical Education. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-018-1381-1
q2 · i? · review · r3
The review's narrative synthesis of role play studies with medical and nursing students reports successes including "an increase in empathy" and safe practice, while students noted "the artificiality of the scenario" and poor acting skills. No effect sizes are printed.
"These studies report successes: an increase in empathy [23, 24]; an opportunity to practice communication skills in a safe and supportive environment [23]; an opportunity to experience more unusual clinical scenarios [24]; the value of peer feedback [26, 27]"
Discussion¶
Related Claims¶
- Communication skills training programs improve clinician patient-centeredness, but training approaches are variable and long-term retention is untested — related
- Studies of simulated patient-based CST report positive effects on trainee confidence and communication performance — related
- Direct comparisons find simulated patients as effective as real patients for CST outcomes — related
- Learners valued safe, repeatable, nonjudgmental AI practice environments that reduced anxiety and bridged the theory-practice gap — related
- Empathy and communication interventions show short-term gains but evidence on persistence over time is inconsistent — related
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