Teaching smoking-cessation counseling to medical students using simulated patients.

OBJECTIVE

Our objective was to evaluate the effectiveness of using simulated patient instructors and the Ockene method to instruct third-year medical students in smoking-cessation counseling techniques.

DESIGN

We used a clinical exercise with self-study preparation and simulated patient instructors.

METHODS

One hundred fifty-nine students participated in a smoking-cessation counseling session in which cognitive and behavioral endpoints were assessed by simulated patient instructors and the students themselves.

RESULTS

Student performance in the cognitive and behavioral components of model smoking-cessation counseling was acceptable. Specific areas of weakness, such as the tendency of students to underemphasize the personal and social benefits of smoking cessation, and to overestimate their competence on a number of skill items, were identified. Student evaluation of the exercise was positive.

CONCLUSIONS

Smoking-cessation counseling can be taught effectively to third-year medical students by simulated patient instructors during a clinical clerkship.