title: A randomised controlled study of role play in a faculty development programme.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The Stanford Faculty Development Center at Stanford University has developed a teaching improvement course for medical teachers that has been widely disseminated using a train-the-trainer model.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study was designed to investigate the relative impact of role playing as an instructional technique within that course for facilitating change in teaching behaviours.
  
  
  METHODS
  From January 2009 to April 2010, six faculty development courses were delivered at Uppsala University Hospital to 48 physicians from different departments. The standard course presentation includes a range of instructional methods including short lectures, small group discussion, review of video re-enactments, role-play exercises and personal goal setting. For this study, participants were randomised to participate in (1) a 'standard' course with role play or (2) an 'alternative' course with no role play. The effects of the course on teaching performance were assessed with retrospective pre- and post-course self-ratings of 29 specific teaching behaviours.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Self-assessment ratings indicated significantly greater positive changes in teaching behaviour among faculty who attended the standard course (with role play) as compared to those in the alternative course (p = 0.015).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study validates the commonly held view that role play is a useful instructional method for improving teaching.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical Sciences-Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care, Uppsala University Hospital, Sweden. jakob.johansson@surgsci.uu.se
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Johansson
authors.forename: K M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Skeff
authors.forename: G A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Stratos
mesh_terms: D005180:Faculty, Medical; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012381:Role Playing; D012647:Self-Assessment; D013192:Staff Development / Q000379:methods*; D013548:Sweden; D013663:Teaching / Q000379:methods