A randomized controlled trial using insinuated standardized patients to assess residents' domestic violence skills following a two-hour workshop.
BACKGROUND
Residents feel inadequately trained to treat domestic violence victims.


OBJECTIVE
The purpose was to assess clinical skills of residents participating in a domestic violence workshop.


METHODS
Twenty-seven internal medicine residents were randomized to receive one of two workshops (domestic violence or control workshop). Standardized patients were trained to two domestic violence cases (depressed; injured). The two cases were randomized and insinuated into each resident's continuity clinic at either 1 to 3 months or more than 3 months after the workshops.


RESULTS
The domestic violence workshop residents did not identify the standardized patients as domestic violence victims any more often than residents participating in the control workshop; 16/25 (64%) versus 13/23 (56%), p=.86. However, domestic violence workshop residents were more likely to score 75% or higher on the domestic violence checklist items compared to control workshop residents; 9/25 (36%) versus 2/23 (9%), p=.04.


CONCLUSIONS
Once a standardized patient was identified in clinic as a domestic violence victim, domestic violence workshop participating residents demonstrated better clinical skills than a control group.
Haist
Steven A
SA
Division of General Internal Medicine and Geriatrics, Department of Behavioral Science, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky 40536, USA. sahaist@uky.edu
Wilson
John F
JF
Lineberry
Michelle J
MJ
Griffith
Charles H
CH
D000328:Adult; D019548:Crime Victims; D017579:Domestic Violence; D004493:Education; D004503:Education, Medical, Graduate; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007388:Internal Medicine / Q000193:education*; D007396:Internship and Residency; D008297:Male; D010865:Pilot Projects; D013997:Time Factors