BACKGROUND: Although a majority of medical schools use standardized patients (SPs) for teaching or evaluating students, the costs and benefits of such programs have not been examined in depth. In 1992-93 the Tulane University School of Medicine reduced by 40% the faculty-precepted sessions in its physical diagnosis program in order to incorporate seven focused examinations using SPs to teach basic examination skills. METHOD: Costs for the revised program included costs for SPs, staff, supplies, and faculty. Faculty cost was estimated at a minimum to equal hourly salary and at a maximum to equal this salary plus potential collectible billings. An objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) was used to assess the skill acquisitions of 150 second-year students in 1991-92, before SPs were used, and in 1992-93, when SPs were used. An unpaired t-test was then used to compare the OSCE performances of the two groups of students. Chi-square analysis was used to compare the evaluations of the physical diagnosis program by the 1992-93 and 1991-92 students. RESULTS: The cost of incorporating SPs into the program was $43,800. The amount of time spent teaching by faculty was reduced by 608 hours, costing between $33 (salary) and $108 (salary plus potential revenue) per hour. Thus, the total savings in the cost of faculty time was between $20,064 and $65,664. Despite the reduction in faculty involvement, the students' performance on the OSCE did not change, and the students' evaluations of the course became significantly more favorable. CONCLUSION: The incorporation of SPs as instructors in the physical diagnosis program was accomplished at a minimal cost and resulted in an increase in students' enthusiasm for the purpose, with no loss of skill acquisition as measured by the OSCE.
BACKGROUND: Although a majority of medical schools use standardized patients (SPs) for teaching or evaluating students, the costs and benefits of such programs have not been examined in depth. In 1992-93 the Tulane University School of Medicine reduced by 40% the faculty-precepted sessions in its physical diagnosis program in order to incorporate seven focused examinations using SPs to teach basic examination skills. METHOD: Costs for the revised program included costs for SPs, staff, supplies, and faculty. Faculty cost was estimated at a minimum to equal hourly salary and at a maximum to equal this salary plus potential collectible billings. An objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) was used to assess the skill acquisitions of 150 second-year students in 1991-92, before SPs were used, and in 1992-93, when SPs were used. An unpaired t-test was then used to compare the OSCE performances of the two groups of students. Chi-square analysis was used to compare the evaluations of the physical diagnosis program by the 1992-93 and 1991-92 students. RESULTS: The cost of incorporating SPs into the program was $43,800. The amount of time spent teaching by faculty was reduced by 608 hours, costing between $33 (salary) and $108 (salary plus potential revenue) per hour. Thus, the total savings in the cost of faculty time was between $20,064 and $65,664. Despite the reduction in faculty involvement, the students' performance on the OSCE did not change, and the students' evaluations of the course became significantly more favorable. CONCLUSION: The incorporation of SPs as instructors in the physical diagnosis program was accomplished at a minimal cost and resulted in an increase in students' enthusiasm for the purpose, with no loss of skill acquisition as measured by the OSCE.
Authors: Joseph E Safdieh; Andrew L Lin; Juliet Aizer; Peter M Marzuk; Bernice Grafstein; Carol Storey-Johnson; Yoon Kang Journal: Med Educ Online Date: 2011-01-14
Authors: Claus Hamann; Kevin Volkan; Mary B Fishman; Ronald C Silvestri; Steven R Simon; Suzanne W Fletcher Journal: BMC Med Educ Date: 2002-01-10 Impact factor: 2.463