Doctors and patients

For

To break the rules of the consultation “game”
Fun
Influence of roles and styles
Acknowledging the reality of winners and losers in the consultation
Strategies used by each contestant

Stage of development

Any (intro course?)

Materials

Big chair, little chair, table.
Team menus
Loud bell to signal end of consultation
Stopwatch

Procedure

  • Divide into 2 teams: “doctors” and “patients”, + “judges”.
    Each patient has a role to play, chosen from the menu supplied to the “patient” team.
    Each doctor has a role to follow, chosen from the menu supplied to the “doctor” team.
  • Doctor and patient meet for 6 mins: They must stick to their agenda, but may choose to be substituted by another member of their team. Observers are not expected to remain silent, but can applause, boo etc.

Judges award points for

  • staying power
  • originality
  • flair

Leader keeps record of strategies used

 

Menu of roles for doctor team

Choose ONE role each (choose the role which will give you the most points for staying power, originality and flair):

  • Aggressive/rude
  • Health educationalist: Must discuss smoking/drinking/dietary behaviour exclusively
  • Talks all the time – long explanations
  • The listener
  • Looking for multiple hidden agendas
  • High prescriber: must prescribe
  • Low prescriber: must not prescribe or refer
  • The very nervous doctor

Menu of roles for the patient team

Choose ONE role each (choose the role which will give you the most points for staying power, originality and flair):

  • Aggressive/rude
  • “Whatever you say doctor” with no intention of following any advice whatsoever
  • Talks all the time
  • The silent type
  • Multiple hidden agendas
  • Must leave with an inappropriate prescription for antibiotics
  • Mistrusts all doctors and medicines
  • The very emotional patient
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