Implementing a prebrief for cultural humility in standardized patient sessions with genetic counseling students

Abstract

Standardized patient (SP) sessions allow students to practice cultural humility and gain confidence in providing care for diverse patient populations. A prebrief (Pb) occurs before participation in the SP session and involves three steps: planning, briefing, and facilitating. Prebriefing is effective in integrating cultural humility in healthcare education fields, such as nursing. Similar data are not yet available for the genetic counseling field. This article describes one genetic counseling program's experience piloting the use of a Pb before a genetic counseling SP session centered around cultural humility. Thirty-five learners from two different cohorts of the University of Pennsylvania Master of Science in Genetic Counseling Program participated in this SP session with a Pb and were invited to participate in the study. Learner skill use and cultural humility were assessed, and feedback on the Pb was collected. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the data. The increase in learner counseling skill use and scores on Foronda's Cultural Humility Scale are outlined. Also discussed are logistics around this pilot's creation, implementation, and future directions. It was concluded that a Pb promotes discussion and reflection before the SP session and can aid in genetic counseling students' education, cultural humility, and interpersonal skill use.