Structured Role-Play in Physiology Practicals: Feasibility, Acceptability, and Undergraduates Perception in a Resource Limited Setting
Article Sidebar
Main Article Content
Abstract
Objective: To explore the student perceptions of structured role play as an active learning method during second-year MBBS physiology practical sessions and to obtain preliminary comparative data against traditional demonstration teaching.
Methodology: An exploratory repeated measure study was accomplished from September 2024 to February 2025 at Gujranwala Medical College with 94 second-year MBBS students. The Sensory Nervous System module used regular demonstrations, while the Special Senses module employed organized role play. Lastly, the efficacy of role play was assessed using a student perception survey. OSCE checklists were developed in accordance with the curricular goals of the University of Health Sciences. The teaching strategy was hidden from the faculty examiners. SPSS v28 was used to analyze the data.
Results: Role play was associated with a significant pre-to-post knowledge gain (+2.84 points, p < 0.001) whereas the traditional module showed a decline (−3.12 points, p < 0.001). OSCE scores were higher after the role-play module (6.57 ± 1.18 vs. 5.43 ± 1.07; p < 0.001). However, differences in content complexity and timing prevent causal attribution of outcomes to teaching method alone. Ninety percent of respondents recommended continuation of role play.
Conclusions: Structured role play is feasible and highly acceptable to students in a resource-limited Pakistani medical college and is associated with positive learning experiences and encouraging preliminary outcomes. Ultimate superiority over traditional techniques cannot be claimed from this exploratory study.
Article Details
Work published in JPMI is licensed under a
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 2.0 Generic License.
Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work.
References
1. Saleem M, Khan Z. Healthcare simulation: an effective way of learning in health care. Pak J Med Sci 2023;39(4):1185.
2. Robinson SJ, Ritchie AM, Pacilli M, Nestel D, McLeod E, Nataraja RM. Simulation-based education of health workers in low- and middle-income countries: a systematic review. Glob Health Sci Pract 2024;12(6).
3. Mallick SA, Hasan S. The past, present and future of simulation-based medical education (SBME) in Pakistan: a short report. J Pak Med Assoc 2025;75(1):108-10.
4. Bajwa M, Najeeb F, Alnazzawi H, Ayub A, Bell JG, Sadiq F. A scoping review of Pakistani healthcare simulation: insights for lower-middle-income countries. Cureus 2024;16(12).
5. Ayaz O, Ismail FW. Healthcare simulation: a key to the future of medical education – a review. Adv Med Educ Pract 2022;13:301-8. DOI: 10.2147/AMEP.S353777.
6. Irenee N. Exploring medical students’ experience with learning by simulation in Rwanda: a qualitative study. Columbus (OH): The Ohio State University; 2022.
7. Cardoso SA, Suyambu J, Iqbal J, Jaimes DC, Amin A, Sikto JT, et al. Exploring the role of simulation training in improving surgical skills among residents: a narrative review. Cureus 2023;15(9):e44654.
8. Ferreira M, Marques A. Foundations of teaching and learning: a study with teachers on conceptions and pedagogical practices. Int J Instr 2024;17(2):67-84.
9. Lavanya KM, Somu LK, Mishra SK. Effectiveness of scenario-based roleplay as a method of teaching soft skills for undergraduate medical students. Int J Appl Basic Med Res 2024;14(2):78-84.
10. Asanaliyar M, Kamath L, Chakraborty A. Learners’ perspectives and outcomes of peer role play as a teaching learning method for prescription communication skills in second year medical students at a tertiary teaching hospital in India. Int J Basic Clin Pharmacol 2024;13:233-8.
11. Mianehsaz E, Saber A, Tabatabaee SM, Faghihi A. Teaching medical professionalism with a scenario-based approach using role-playing and reflection: a step towards promoting integration of theory and practice. J Adv Med Educ Prof 2023;11(1):42.
12. Lavanya KM, Somu LK, Mishra SK. Effectiveness of scenario-based roleplay as a method of teaching soft skills for undergraduate medical students. Int J Appl Basic Med Res 2024;14(2):78-84.
13. Yee MM, Nyunt MK, Thidar AM, Khine MS, Ong CY, Seong OG. Challenges and opportunities of using role-players in medical education: medical educators’ perspective. Med Res Arch 2024;12(8).
14. Abdel-Wahed NA, Badahdah A, Qutob AF, Bahanan L, Bukhary SM. The effectiveness of integrating role play into case-based learning in dental education: enhancing critical thinking and teamwork skills. BMC Med Educ 2024;24(1):1531.
15. Del Moral BL, VanPutte CL, McCracken BA. The use of role-play in the learning of medical terminology for online and face-to-face courses. Adv Physiol Educ 2024;48(3):578-87.
16. Xu L, Liu W, Jiang X, Li Y. Impact of using peer role-playing on the clinical skills performance of pediatric trainees. BMC Med Educ 2023;23(1):654.
17. Chye SM, Koh RY, Shankar PR. Biomedical science students’ perception of the use of role-play in learning stress and anger management skills. Asia Pac Scholar 2024;9(2):51-9.
18. Volabailu R, Acharya S, Mohan VK, Holla R. Effectiveness of roleplay video method in teaching communication skills for undergraduate medical students in pharmacology in Indian medical school. J Health Allied Sci NU 2022;12(2):155-61.
19. Bahuleyan B, Babu R, Davis A, AV S, CK S, Thomas NE, et al. Role play as a pedagogical strategy for cultivating empathy. GAIMS J Med Sci 2025;5(1):95-100.
20. Laughey WF, Atkinson J, Craig AM, Douglas L, Brown ME, Scott JL, et al. Empathy in medical education: its nature and nurture—a qualitative study of the views of students and tutors. Med Sci Educ 2021;31:1941-50.
21. Fu X, Li Q. Effectiveness of role-play method: a meta-analysis. Int J Instr 2025;18(1):309-24.
22. Dietrich H, Evans T. Traditional lectures versus active learning: a false dichotomy? arXiv 2022. Available from: https://arxiv.org/abs/2206.12144
23. Jasemi M, Goli R, Zabihi RE, Khalkhali H. Educating ethics codes by lecture or role-play: which one improves nursing students' ethical sensitivity and ethical performance more? J Prof Nurs 2022;40:122-9.
24. Piryani RM, Piryani S, Zeba N. Perceptions of undergraduate medical students about roleplay as a teaching, learning and training tool: a descriptive cross-sectional study. J Integr Med Public Health 2023;2(1):27-31.
25. Saeed S, Khan MH, Siddiqui MM, Dhanwani A, Hussain A, Ali MM. Hybridizing video-based learning with simulation for flipping the clinical skills learning at a university hospital in Pakistan. BMC Med Educ 2023;23(1):595.