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Role Play Scenario 27


​You are shadowing a dentist, Miriam, whilst doing work experience in the summer holidays. After seeing patients, Miriam is rude about them, and seems disinterested in helping them. She rushes through her appointments, and jokes that her receptionist has been sending her far too many patients to see.

In this role play, you have arranged to speak to Miriam
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​Excellent Student Approach
1.         Introduction
2.         Open Questions
3.         Develop Rapport
4.         Address the issues known
5.         Identify any additional issues
6.         Summary and plan going forward

1 - Ask Miriam to speak with you in private at a convenient time.
2 - Begin with an open question, such as, ‘How are you Miriam?’ and ‘How are you finding working at this practice?’ Is it OK to talk about your tone with some of the patients?’
3 - Do your best to appear respectful to Miriam, in order to encourage her to speak to you. Despite the asymmetric positioning between work experience students and qualified dentists; in appropriate behaviour should not be tolerated and should always be addressed.
4 – Ask if Miriam is aware why you wanted to speak with her and if not, explain that on occasions, you have noticed that Miriam’s tone with patients may be seen as disinterested. Tell her that whilst you are only there for work experience, you still felt that you had to speak to her about this issue. Ask if there’s any reason for her treating patients in this manner. Stress to her that you feel rushing patients is highly inappropriate, and maybe could be dangerous for patients as well as potentially undermining Miriam’s professional qualifications.
5 - It is likely that Miriam will take this poorly. However, you must communicate the key worries here - that she is not listening properly to her patients, and that through rushing them she may be missing things. Candidates who explore the underlying reasons further will be told about the challenging circumstances that Miriam is facing at home, and these frustrations are being carried over to work.
6 - It will be difficult for you to formulate a plan unless Miriam takes what you have to say well. If she does, and is willing to change, then you can help her work on this while you are assigned to the practice. Had there been the opportunity to involve another dentist/practice manager or other senior staff this would also be appropriate in ensuring long term change as well as helping Miriam to better take the constructive feedback.