Goldstein co-chairs the course with Dr. Jane Huntington, acting assistant professor of family medicine.
Students practice with each other, with faculty members, and with simulated patients.
These are people who either act in the role of a patient or who are actual patients trained in presenting their illness in a standardized way. At times the interviews are taped for the medical students to review afterward. Goldstein explained that students are taught many techniques to give them flexibility to fit the situation at hand. The course also gives medical students practice in approaching difficult topics, such as suspected physical abuse or alcoholism. Overall, she said, the series teaches medical students how to listen and be sensitive to subtleties in order to understand better what is going on with their patients.