title: Impact of a medical student alcohol intervention workshop using recovering alcoholics as simulated patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Alcohol screening and brief intervention (SBI) reduces drinking among at-risk drinkers. Lack of training and negative attitudes represents a barrier to SBI performance. This study evaluates the impact of a medical student workshop using recovering alcoholics in simulated patient interviews to teach SBI skills.
  
  
  METHODS
  Third-year students (n=94) were surveyed before and after a 3-hour alcohol SBI workshop regarding their perceived importance and confidence in performing eleven SBI behaviors. Students were also asked to list factors increasing and decreasing motivation to conduct SBI. Students completing off-campus rotations (n=71) served as controls, completing surveys during the same time period but without attending the workshop.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Analysis of variance found a significant interaction effect between the students participating in the workshop and control students on both importance scores [F(2,174)=3.34] and confidence scores [F(2,174)=9.13], indicating higher scores for the workshop students at the follow-up time periods. Commonly listed motivators for performing SBI included clinical experience with alcohol misuse and the impact of alcohol on health and relationships. High relapse rates and patient reactions to questions about alcohol use decreased the motivation to perform SBI.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  SBI workshops that include recovering alcoholics as simulated patients can produce long-term improvements in students' perceived importance and confidence in performing SBI.
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine, Medical Center of Central Georgia and Mercer University School of Medicine, Macon, GA.
authors.forename: J Aaron
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine, Medical Center of Central Georgia and Mercer University School of Medicine, Macon, GA.
authors.forename: J Paul
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Seale
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine, Medical Center of Central Georgia and Mercer University School of Medicine, Macon, GA.
authors.forename: Sylvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shellenberger
authors.affiliation: School of Social Work, University of Texas-Austin, Austin, TX.
authors.forename: Mary M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Velasquez
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine, Medical Center of Central Georgia and Mercer University School of Medicine, Macon, GA.
authors.forename: Candice
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Alick
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of Alabama-Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA.
authors.forename: Katherine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Turk
keywords: alcohol; brief intervention; medical students; screening