A Chronic Disease State Simulation in an Ambulatory Care Elective Course.

OBJECTIVE: To implement a chronic disease state simulation in an ambulatory care elective course and to assess the simulation's impact on students' perceptions of their empathy toward patients and of their counseling skills.

DESIGN: The chronic disease state simulation occurred over 2 weeks. Students alternated playing the role of patient and pharmacist. As patients, students adhered to medication regimens, lifestyle modifications, and blood glucose or blood pressure monitoring. As pharmacists, students conducted patient interviews, and provided education and counseling. Empathy and counseling skills were assessed through course surveys, written reflections, and SOAP notes.

ASSESSMENT: Results from a cohort of 130 students indicated the simulation enhanced students' perceptions of their abilities to empathize with and counsel patients with chronic diseases.

CONCLUSION: The chronic disease state simulation provides a novel approach to develop skills needed for working with complex patient cases in ambulatory care settings.