Review of “Depression in the Elderly—Simulated Patient Small Group Activity”

This activity teaches knowledge and skills regarding the assessment and management of geriatric depression to second‐year medical students. Students actively participate in a standardized patient scenario with a “collateral source,” which the authors define as a relative, friend, neighbor, healthcare power of attorney, or healthcare provider of a cognitively impaired patient who can provide additional history that might be more accurate than that obtained from the patient. Students also discuss proposed physical examination items, formulate a management plan with assistance from a handout on geriatric depression and facilitation by a faculty member, and receive feedback from the standardized patient and a “collateral source.” This activity is designed to take c approximately 2 hours to administer to small groups of learners and emphasizes that depression often presents atypically in older adults.