Roleplay Structure
The roleplay scenarios are based on real situations you are likely to encounter in
you work as a doctor in Australia. There are a variety of possible settings for the
roleplay as follows:
Suburban Medical Clinic
General Practice
Emergency Department of a Hospital
Hospital Ward
Hospital Outpatients
Home of a patient
A typical roleplay structure is as follows:
Brief introduction
Ask questions to make an initial diagnosis
Respond carefully to the patient’s responses.
Provide an explanation of the condition & respond to further questions
and concerns of the patient.
Provide advice and reassurance as required.
Short simple concluding sentence.
You only have 5-6 minutes to complete the roleplay so it is important to follow
the task closely and not spend too long on any one section. If the roleplay lasts
more than 6 minutes the interviewer may signal you to end the roleplay. This
could be a problem if you have not finished key aspects of the task.
Stage 1: Introductions and Opening Questions
Introductions are a very important part of the role-play as they allow you to start
the conversation in a positive way and in line with requirements of the roleplay
card. Therefore the first thing to do is read the card very carefully looking for
information which will help you, as a health professional, determine how to
approach the patient or carer.
Important factors to consider
Identify the setting
Identify the patient, male, female, parent of child etc. Note, in the
exam, most cards are not gender specific, so that if the interviewer is a
male the patient will be a male and if the interviewer is a female, then
the patient will be a female.
Is it the first time to meet the patient or are they a regular patient of
yours
For example if you know the patient is a good idea to begin with a
familiar tone such as
o Hi Jane, how can I help you today? Rather than.
o Hello I am Tim, your Doctor. How may I address you?
It is very important to start the roleplay in a confident manner. Here are some
standard ways to begin the conversation.
At a Suburban Medical Clinic or General Practice
Good morning Madam, I’m Doctor Green. What brings you here today?
Good morning Sir. I’m Doctor Green. How can I help you today?
Good morning John, please sit down. I’m Dr Green. How are you
today?
Hello Steven, you’re here regarding your blood test results aren’t you.
Good morning Patricia, you’ve brought your daughter along I see.
What seems to be the problem?
In a hospital ward
Hello Maria, how are you feeling today?
Hello John, you are looking better today. How do you feel?
Taking the patient history
Once you have made the initial introduction, you will need to ask some questions
to determine the exact nature of the patient’s problem or concern. Some of this
information will be given to you on your card, but it is a good idea to ask the
basic questions anyway as forms the basis of your consultation. Just remember,
however, to keep your line of questions quite narrow and specific to the patient’s
condition as you have only 5~6 minutes to complete your task so there is no time
for a general history.
Asking questions about the patient’s problem (heartburn example)
When did you first have the problem?
What do you understand by 'heartburn'?
When have you been getting it?
Have you ever noticed any particular kind of other discomfort or pain,
perhaps associated with the heartburn?
When you say 'after meals' - is that long after?
You're not regularly over-eating, are you?
More detailed questions
Do any particular foods seem to bring on your heartburn?
Now, have you noticed that any particular foods that trigger the
heartburn, for example fast food?
Stage 2: The Main Body
Once you have taken the history to a satisfactory level it is time to move to the
second stage of the roleplay which is often an explanation about a certain
condition or method of treatment. This may take up to a third of the roleplay (1-2
minutes) so it essential that you do it in a clear and well organised manner as
outlined below:
Informing the patient
Based on my examination it will be necessary to…….
The x-ray indicates that your child has………
The blood test results indicate that child has………
The tests show that it is probably a condition known as……
Describing the condition
Make sure your explanation is clear and well organised. For example:
The blood tests results indicate that you have Hepatitis A. Do you know anything
about this condition? No? Okay I will explain it to you.
It is a condition caused by….
The symptoms include…….
The best treatment is to…….
It is highly contagious so you need to….
Try not to talk continuously. Stop from time to time to check if the patient
understands your explanation.
Is that clear?
Do you understand so far?
Do you have any questions?
Reassuring the patient
Commonly, the patient will be concerned about their condition or treatment
method, so there are some standard expressions you can use to reassure the
patient.
It’s nothing to get alarmed about. It’s just a routine check.
There really is nothing to worry about. It’s a standard procedure.
Let me reassure you, if you follow my advice the risks of future
problems will be greatly reduced.
Persuading the patient
If you return to work you run the risk of doing further damage to you
health.
What is more important? The risk of permanent damage to your arm
or a single game of cricket?
Let me reassure you, if you follow my advice the risk of heart attack
will be greatly reduced. However if you do not follow my advice, and
continue to smoke and drink heavily, then the risk of heart attack is
much higher.
Stage 3: Concluding the Roleplay
This can be a difficult part for some people. The important thing to remember is
to make the closing sentence short and concise. Here are some examples of how
to do this:
At a suburban medical clinic or general practice
Please make an appointment with reception to see me in a week.
Goodbye.
Here is your prescription. Take it to your chemist and they will give
you the medication. All the best.
Thanks for coming to see me today. Goodbye.
Please come and see me again in a week.
I would like to see your child again in two months time. Take care
now.
In a hospital ward.
I’ll come back and check on your condition later today.
If there is any change in your condition please let me know.
If you need me again, just press the buzzer.
Therefore try to avoid statements such as: Do you have any further questions ?,
if you feel you have described the situation sufficiently already. If you feel that
the roleplay has concluded too quickly, you can summarise the important points
from the consultation. For example
Useful Website
English Med is a useful website which contains some sample conversations &
transcripts between a health professional (usually a doctor) and a patient.
