The effectiveness of using simulated patients versus videotapes of simulated patients to teach clinical skills to occupational and physical therapy students

Seventy-three occupational and physical therapy students participated in two seminars. In one seminar, students interacted directly with a simulated patient; in the other, students viewed a videotape of a simulated patient interacting with a clinician. Each student submitted the following for each seminar: a list of problems and treatment plans a rating form indicating satisfaction with group participation, and a rating form indicating satisfaction with topics covered. Within-group comparisons showed that identification of patient problems by the students tended to agree with expert clinicians in the simulated patient condition when compared with the videotape condition although this difference failed to reach significance (P=0.056). More of the student treatment plans agreed with expert clinicians in the videotape condition when compared with the simulated patient condition (P<0.01). Both group process and content ratings in the simulated patient condition exceeded those in the videotape condition.