Patient Interviews
Each student will conduct an interview on his/her own time and write up the interview
answering the four questions that are listed below. The interview should be of a family
member, friend, or acquaintance (or their relative/caregiver) who has been ill and
involved with the medical community. Should a student not be able to contact such an
individual, there will be a list of “volunteers” who meet the criteria. Please contact the
Psychiatry Education Office for assistance in making these arrangements. .
Please provide a narrative of approximately three to eight pages (typed and doublespaced) which addresses the following questions:
1.
What is this person’s story? Elaborate on his/her feelings, motivations, thoughts,
beliefs, reactions, and behaviors as s/he went through the experience with the
illness.
2.
Thinking about the individual on a developmental continuum or life course,
where is s/he and how might his/her developmental position have affected the
illness experience? How might the illness experience have altered his/her
developmental course?
3.
What was the impact of the environment (family, friends, community) on the
person’s illness experience? What was the impact of the illness on the person’s
environment?
4.
What was your reaction to the interview? What did you learn from this patient
story?
Guidelines for Conducting the Interview
 Begin with an orienting statement, which states the purpose of the interview. The
purpose is essentially to learn from the individual his/her experience with illness
and/or the medical community. Experience refers not only to the facts, but how
the individual feels about what they went through.
 Obtain basic data and identifying information: Who is this person? For example,
ask about identifying data, work, family and relationships, living situation,
religion, ethnic background, etc.
 Elicit the story of the illness: How did the person know he/she was ill? What
steps did he/she take before being diagnosed? What happened after the person
was diagnosed?
 Expand the story of the illness: What was it like for this person? What is this
person’s coping style?
 What impact did this illness have on the patient’s environment (work, family, and
friends)? What impact did the environment have on the illness?
 How did the person’s stage in life impact their reaction to the illness and the
health care recommendations? Did the illness impact on their developmental
course (i.e. move them forward prematurely or cause delays in maturity) or might
it in the future?
 Ask about the person’s relationship with his/her healthcare providers. Was there
anything that was particularly helpful? Was there anything that was not
particularly helpful?
 Tips: Do not assume you know what something means. Ask the patient. Do not
assume the illness experience is negative. It may be positive or neutral.
Saundra Stock, M.D. and Deborah Roth, D.O.
University of South Florida