AHSE: One Approach to Teaching Clinical Reasoning: Theater

Speaker: Kim Meyer, PhD, MPAS, PA-C, DFAAPA, Executive Director, Division of Academic Innovation 

Time: 12-1 pm, Friday, Dec 2nd (Lunch starts at 11:45 am) 

RSVP: Due by 1 pm, Wednesday, Nov 30th

The email confirmation for the event will contain the option to add the event to your calendar.

Session Objectives: 

• Explore existing approaches to teaching clinical reasoning. 

• Create 1 possible case study for implementation of Clinical Reasoning Theater in the curriculum. 

Session Overview: 

Clinical reasoning theater, developed by Borleffs, et. al. [Acad Med 2003;78(3):322-5], describes teaching the process of clinical reasoning using “actors” through the portrayal of a conversation between a provider and a patient.  

• Three actors: the provider, the patient, and the learners (who form the “audience”). The performance occurs in two repeating acts.  
• ACT I: Communication between provider and patient focused on Hx Taking, PE, etc.  
• ACT II: “Time out” in which provider explains/ thinks out loud, to reveal the rationale for questions, line of reasoning, and/or need to show empathy.  
• Audience members (the learners) question and provide suggestions for further dialogue with the patient resulting in another Act I and II cycle.  

Advantages to this approach:  

• Builds on clinical teacher’s existing skills  
• Reveals the physician’s “behind the scenes” thinking and decision  
• Engage the audience (the learners) through Act II  
• Could be applied to learning in the simulation lab 

Disadvantages to this approach: 

• Exploration learners’ clinical reasoning is dependent on the clinical teacher’s facilitation skills 

Source: Clinical Reasoning Theater by Borleffs, et al