P Macneill ^a, JM GILMER^b

^a National University of Singapore, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, Singapore

^b National Institute of Education

Purpose This presentation will report on two workshops in Singapore that offered health care workers (HCWs—clinicians and others) training in theatre skills and techniques to expand their range of ‘performativity’ and effectiveness in relating to patients.

Methods Experiential theatre training exercises (including body-awareness and work with masks) were conducted with HCWs by an experienced actor-director and acting teacher in two separate four-hour workshops. Participants gave feedback in questionnaires and interviews following the workshops.

Findings Over both workshops there were 45 HCW participants (senior and junior clinicians; nurses; a pharmacist, medical educator, and health care administrator). Both workshops were given high ratings on usefulness, content, delivery, and enjoyment. Participants’ comments included that:

• “acting is not putting on a face, but coming from within;”
• “acting [should] be ethical, right, honest, sincere;”

and how mask work:

• emphasised body gesture and non-verbal language;
• displayed that we can’t “hide behind the mask;” and
• that genuineness was apparent even when wearing a mask.

The issue of whether or not ‘acting’ is fake was discussed and participants came to see that acting (contrary to common beliefs) can assist one to be sincere, genuine and appropriate rather than fake. Interviewees spoke of how the workshop had given them a heightened:

• awareness of appropriate body language;
• self-awareness—both internal and from the perception of others; and
• capacity for teaching empathy.

Conclusions Actor skills and training were found to be useful to HCWs in the areas of self-expressiveness, and in being more genuine with patients and other staff.

Recommendation That opportunities be offered to HCWs and trainees to develop acting skills to expand their self-awareness and effectiveness in relating to patients.

Keywords: piano pedagogy, medical education, FAIR principles for education