Dorice Hankemeier (Ball State University); Stacey Gaven (University of Indianapolis)

Issue to Be Addressed: The COVID-19 pandemic called for new modes of clinical education; simulated telemedicine encounters allowed students to utilize their clinical skills while adjusting to new methods of patient care delivery.

Method: Two athletic training programs worked together to create standardized cases for a variety of medical conditions including orthopedic, general medical, and psychosocial. Students from one institution were trained to serve as a standardized patient for students from the other institution. Students were then given the contact information for their patient and set up a telemedicine consult. Students conducted patient evaluations via a telemedicine platform and created a plan of care for the patient.

Outcomes: Students wereable to demonstrate patient care skills in a telemedicine encounter and also learned by serving as the patient. Student self-reflection indicated that they learned the importance of clear communication when unable to physically evaluate a patient.

Conclusion: Collaboration among programs at different institutions allows students to interact with each other and allowed them to learn as both the patient and the clinician.

Download PowerPoint slides here and their Telemedicine Encounter Instructions for Clinicians and Patients.

View the recording below.