This educational activity is a short, interactive small-group exercise designed to help learners recognize and reflect on the hidden curriculum in medical education. Participants perform a scripted clinical scenario while projected “thought bubbles” reveal the internal perspectives of the characters. The contrast between spoken dialogue and internal thoughts illustrates how professional values, attitudes, and behaviors are implicitly transmitted through the culture of clinical training environments. Following the performance, learners participate in a facilitated discussion to analyze the scenario, identify elements of professionalism and unprofessionalism, and reflect on how the hidden curriculum influences medical trainees and patient care. The activity concludes with a “commitment to change” exercise in which participants identify behavioral changes they intend to implement in their professional practice.
Target Learners
- Medical students
- Medical residents
- Other healthcare trainees involved in clinical education
- The activity works best with groups of 10 or more participants
Equipment and Materials Needed
- Computer with presentation software
- Projector and screen
- PowerPoint slides containing “thought bubbles” for characters
- Printed play script for the scenario
- Facilitator guide for the instructor
- Optional discussion question handout
- “Commitment to Change” cards or forms for participants
- Space for four volunteer actors to stand in front of the projected slides
Estimated Time to Complete the Activity
Approximately 30 minutes total
Typical breakdown:
- Introduction and setup: ~5 minutes
- Scripted role-play performance: ~10 minutes
- Facilitated discussion and reflection: ~10–15 minutes
- Commitment-to-change activity: ~5 minutes