The use of realistic simulation in teaching communication skills in medical courses: a scoping review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.69849/a5n1vh46Keywords:
Simulation Training, Health Communication, Education, MedicalAbstract
INTRODUCTION: Effective communication between physician and patient is a fundamental competence in medical education, being associated with therapeutic adherence, diagnostic accuracy, and humanization of care. Realistic simulation emerges as an innovative pedagogical strategy for teaching these skills, allowing practice in a controlled and safe environment. OBJECTIVE: To map and synthesize the available evidence on the use of realistic simulation in teaching communication skills in medical courses. METHODS: A scoping review conducted according to the Joanna Briggs Institute protocol, with a search in the PubMed database using the descriptors "Simulation Training", "Health Communication", and "Education, Medical". Studies published between 2018 and 2025 in Portuguese, English, and Spanish were included, totaling 16 articles selected for analysis. RESULTS: The studies demonstrated that realistic simulation is effective for developing communication skills, especially in breaking bad news, present in 81.2% of the publications. Debriefing and structured feedback emerged as central pedagogical components. Different simulation modalities were identified, including standardized patients, trained actors, and virtual patients. CONCLUSION: Realistic simulation constitutes a valuable pedagogical strategy for teaching communication skills in medicine, with consistent benefits for self-confidence, technical competence, and patient-centered approach. Further studies with greater methodological rigor are needed to assess the transfer of skills to real clinical practice.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Carlos Daniel Spindola Melo, Edilberto Ferreira Veras Junior, João Lucas Gomes Carvalho, Lúcio Eugênio Cerqueira Lopes, Marcos Vinícius de Meneses Gomes (Autor)
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