Training medical students in motivational interviewing using a blended learning approach: a proof-of-concept study.
Rebecca Erschens, Bettina Fahse, Teresa Festl-Wietek, Anne Herrmann-Werner, Katharina E Keifenheim, Stephan Zipfel, Andreas J Fallgatter, Kerstin Velten-Schurian
Author Information
Rebecca Erschens: University Medical Hospital Tuebingen, Internal Medicine, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Tübingen, Germany.
Bettina Fahse: University Medical Hospital Tuebingen, Internal Medicine, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Tübingen, Germany.
Teresa Festl-Wietek: Tübingen Institute for Medical Education (TIME), Faculty of Medicine, Tübingen, Germany.
Anne Herrmann-Werner: University Medical Hospital Tuebingen, Internal Medicine, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Tübingen, Germany.
Katharina E Keifenheim: University Medical Hospital Tuebingen, Internal Medicine, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Tübingen, Germany.
Stephan Zipfel: University Medical Hospital Tuebingen, Internal Medicine, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Tübingen, Germany.
Andreas J Fallgatter: German Center for Mental Health (DZPG), Tuebingen, Germany.
Kerstin Velten-Schurian: Tübingen Center for Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.
Background: Difficulties in implementing behavior change in patients with chronic diseases are common in clinical practice. Motivational interviewing (MI) helps clinicians to support patients in overcoming ambivalence while maintaining self-determination. The inclusion of MI in German medical training curricula is still rare. Furthermore, the effects of systematic teaching of MI, especially via blended learning, have hardly been investigated. Methods: Medical students participated in three curricular events related to MI, consisting of instructional videos and theoretical and practical components in a blended learning format. The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of teaching MI in students' medical education. A controlled, non-randomized study was conducted with an intervention group and a control group. Both groups completed questionnaires on their experience and knowledge related to MI, completed a knowledge test and rated their satisfaction with the course. MI was taught in the 6th semester of medical coursework as part of a psychosomatic course, in the 8th semester during a psychiatry course and in the 9th semester during a weekly psychiatry clerkship. Results: Data from the intervention group ( = 35) and control group ( = 14) were analyzed, with 65.7% of students participating in all three parts of the curriculum. Overall interest in learning MI was high, with = 2.92 ( = 1.00). The results indicate a greater increase in knowledge over time in the intervention group. The majority (62.86%) stated that the curriculum was relevant to their future career. Free-form text responses indicated a high level of satisfaction with practical relevance. Conclusion: This study demonstrates the usefulness of an MI curriculum for medical students. The integration of MI into medical curricula is a promising curricular addition to improve doctor-patient communication. Future research should address patient perceptions of MI competencies and the persistence of acquired competencies.
