Role-playing is an effective instructional strategy for genetic counseling training: an investigation and comparative study

Abstract

Background: Genetic diseases represent a significant public health challenge in China that will need to be addressed by a correspondingly large number of professional genetic counselors. However, neither an official training program for genetic counseling, nor formal board certification, was available in China before 2015. In 2009, a genetic counseling training program based on role-playing was implemented as a pilot study at the Third Military Medical University to train third-year medical students. Methods: Questionnaires on participant attitudes to the program and role-playing were randomly administered to 324 students after they had finished their training. Pre-and post-training instructional tests, focusing on 42 key components of genetic counseling, were administered randomly to 200 participants to assess mastery of each component. Finally, scores in final examinations of 578 participants from 2009 to 2011 were compared to scores obtained by 614 non-participating students from 2006 to 2008 to further assess program efficacy.

Application of active learning modalities to achieve medical genetics competencies and their learning outcome assessments

“…Although performance-based assessment is technically challenging, doing so would significantly support the learning outcome and efficacy of role-playing as an active learning method in medical genetics. The authors of this study also noted the amount of effort required to train the teaching faculty; all 20 tutors recruited for the role-playing sessions underwent a significant amount of training and evaluation to become qualified, 44 indicating the importance of a faculty development program in providing authentic and effective learning environments for role-playing sessions.…”

“…To assess the effectiveness of the role-playing session, students’ attitudes toward the course and the mastery of 42 key genetics concepts in performing genetic counseling were evaluated using self-reported posttraining survey questionnaires (taken by ~300 randomly selected students) and pre- and postsession written examinations (taken by 200 randomly selected students), respectively. 44 The survey results indicated that the program was well received, and ~80% of students agreed that role-playing helped them to 1) understand about genetic counseling; 2) master the knowledge of medical genetics by self-study; and 3) improve their communication skills. 44 These results suggest that, as the University of Alabama study did, role-playing is an effective training method for students to obtain the core competencies of the family history and genomic testing EPAs, which are critical for genetic counseling.…”

“… 44 The survey results indicated that the program was well received, and ~80% of students agreed that role-playing helped them to 1) understand about genetic counseling; 2) master the knowledge of medical genetics by self-study; and 3) improve their communication skills. 44 These results suggest that, as the University of Alabama study did, role-playing is an effective training method for students to obtain the core competencies of the family history and genomic testing EPAs, which are critical for genetic counseling. 23 …”

“… 40 – 42 Because of these attributes, role-playing has been applied to provide exercises to medical students to gain genetic counseling skills. 43 , 44 …”

“…These students participated in a genetic counseling program offered as an integral part of the medical genetics course. 44 The goal of this program was to help students learn to apply their knowledge in genetics to clinical problems, develop communication skills, and further promote their interest in genetics. The participating students were divided into small self-study groups and assigned a Mendelian disease clinical vignette; the roles of both counselor and counselee were played by students in the presence of a tutor.…”