Though patient contacts are increasingly made by telephone, it is still uncommon to teach telephone consultations in undergraduate medical education. The BIHAM has developed a training course in Emergency Telephone Consultation (ETC) for fifth-year medical students, using simulated patients (SPs). In the pilot, 31 fifth-year students out of a possible 164 volunteered to participate.

The learning objectives were accurate history taking, evaluating the patients’ answers, and providing advice. The course included a manual, an introductory lecture, and a training course with SPs. Each student had to perform two telephone consultations of up to 10 minutes which were each followed by a feedback of 5 minutes provided by the SP according to the RICE rating scale.

• The course was awarded a mean 5.5 marks (out of a maximum of six marks).

• 100% stated that they now felt a lot more confident with ETCs, 80% being confident of handling them appropriately.

•  81% judged the feedback given by the SPs as ‘very constructive’.

• Due to the excellent students’ evaluation, the Faculty of Medicine of Bern decided to make this course obligatory for all medical students in their fifth year.

• Teaching telephone consultations is a neglected topic in undergraduate medical education.

• Students appreciate the combination of theory and short practical sessions.

• The Institute for Medical Education of the Medical Faculty of Bern, especially G. Ferrieri for supply and preparation of the video.
• Dr. Peter Frey for reviewing the poster and technical support.

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