Sketch: Using Play to Bridge the Communication Divide

Abstract

Bright Sparks Theatre Company. Doctors are expected to communicate challenging concepts and procedures to a diverse population with a vast array of communication issues. Bright Sparks Theatre Company worked with Leeds Institute of Medical Education bringing together medical students and minority groups using drama workshops as a playful tool to bridge the communication divide. We examine the outcomes of these fun-filled sessions and the improvements it led to in communication skills, how it challenged the students’ view of both the learning environment and their professional duties and the positive effect on the patient/doctor relationship in removing the usual hierarchy through collaborative play.