Introduction

There has been renewed interest in the doctor-patient relationship and humanitarian values in the training of medical students, given that the ability to feel empathy for patients is considered one of the pillars of good medical practice. Role reversal is a technique derived from Psychodrama that can promote the development of empathic capacity in the doctor-patient relationship.

Objective

to report a teaching-learning experience of psychiatric anamnesis in the course of Semiology in Psychiatry with 3rd year students of Botucatu Medical School (UNESP), using the technique of role reversal as the main pedagogical approach.

Method

experience report. The activity has been developed in five distinct but interrelated stages: 1) autonomous reading and studying the psychiatric propaedeutic courseware; 2) performing the anamnesis in three groups of 15 students, in which they alternate between the roles of physician (interviewer) and patient (interviewed); 3) performing a complete anamnesis with a classmate, also alternating the roles of patient and physician; 4) the same pair of students performs the psychiatric anamnesis with an inpatient of the general university hospital; 5) discussion of the anamneses performed, an activity in which the students assume the role of the patient, reporting, in the first person, the data obtained in the interview.

Results

the students have been collaborative, participating with interest in all stages of the activity, which seems to favour not only the specific learning of psychiatric anamnesis, but also their empathic capacity towards colleagues and patients. In the discussions, special attention has been given to the discoveries and difficulties experienced by the students in these practical activities, and the feelings experienced in each stage of the process. The preceptors’ attitude of respectfully listening to and accepting all the reports, doubts and affective manifestations of the students provides a model for an accepting and non-judgemental attitude toward patients’ problems and feelings, which is fundamental for the development of the therapeutic alliance.

Conclusion

Role reversal can be used to help medical students develop their skills in psychiatric anamnesis, and their empathy, an essential skill for good quality medical practice.

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