Medical Drama in Oman…

Today I had the joy of watching my Omani students perform as “patients” at our interdisciplinary workshop in Muscat to help young doctors practice and enhance their communications skills. Before my colleagues in the Psychology Department and I conducted this dynamic two-day workshop, I suggested to my students several ways in which they could use this improv exercise to prompt the doctors to become more nuanced and intentional in their reactions, delivery, and care.

The workshop went better than I could have imagined — I was greatly impressed with the acting chops of my students and the compassionate and stimulating discussions of the approximately 150 doctors who participated. At the end of each improvised scene of various medical situations (like breaking bad news or dealing with an angry patient), my students gave feedback to the doctors on what they thought was helpful or hurtful. Hopefully this inspiring and successful meeting that brought together the fields of medicine, psychology, and theatre will bear fruit for many years, as the doctors continue to draw upon the lessons learned in today’s simulated scenes.