Training and evaluating tobacco-specific standardized patient instructors.

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: A comprehensive training program to develop tobacco-specific standardized patient instructors (SPIs) was implemented and evaluated at Wake Forest University. METHODS: Descriptive statistics were used to assess SPIs' experience with the training program and medical students' perceptions of the SPI-student interaction. Two standardized scales, used to assess student performance on counseling (Tobacco Intervention Risk Factor Interview Scale [TIRFIS]) and cultural competency (Tobacco Beliefs Management Scale-Tobacco Cultural Concerns Scale [TBMS-TCCS]), were tested for internal and interrater reliability and sensitivity to varied student performance. Costs of the program were measured. RESULTS: SPIs highly rated the content, organization, and presenters of the training program. Medical students positively evaluated their experience with the SPIs. The TIRFIS and TBMS-TCCS subscales demonstrated good internal reliability, and inconsistencies in ratings by different SPIs were minimal. In addition, a range of scores on both measures attest to the sensitivity of the instruments to assess variations in student performance. Significant start-up costs are associated with developing this training program, although costs decline when SPIs are retained long term. CONCLUSIONS: The SPI training program was effective in developing a cohort of knowledgeable and reliable SPIs to train medical students in ways to improve their tobacco intervention counseling skills. Retaining SPIs long term should be a primary goal of implementing a cost-effective, successful training program.