Role play as a teaching-learning method for communication skills in prescribing medication

Abstract

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to evaluate role-playing as a teaching-learning method for communication skills in prescribing medication and to analyse the student's responsiveness to the role-play. Materials and Methods: The Pharmacology Department conducted a questionnaire-based observational study for three months in the academic year 2020–2021. Peer-role-play exercises on medication communication were invited for students in the second professional MBBS 4th semester (n = 150). Statistical Analysis: The data was imported into a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet and analysed with SPSS 22. Frequencies and proportions were used to display categorical data. Results: The concept of role-playing was highly received, and it was thought to be an excellent way to learn how to communicate about medications. Many pupils appreciated the organised evaluation from peers and teachers. More than 90% of the students said they were very comfortable presenting therapy information, such as drug names, purposes, mechanisms, dose information, and precautions. The majority said they remembered pharmacological topics better and would like to see more of them. Peer-role-playing is regarded by the vast majority of pupils as an essential strategy for developing successful drug-therapy communication skills. Role-play sessions are justified in the undergraduate medical curriculum because they provide possibilities for experiential learning and because they are easy to execute. It is necessary to investigate peer-role play as a way of teaching undergraduate pharmacology students' medication-communication skills. Students' perceptions of the sessions' positive effects on their ability to acquire communication skills may influence future teaching methods in this area.