Patient-partners are invaluable in health professions’ education.Sharing their lived experiences with prospective and current healthcare providers can provide an opportunity for these participants to hone their patient-centric skills.However, sharing stories publicly is a vulnerable role and may feel emotionally risky for patient-partners.Using reflective dialogue, this manuscript outlines recommendations through the Sender-Receiver Sofa Cushions Model of Communication for Patient-Partners encounters when working with patient-partners in health professions’ education.These recommendations include recognizing that: Patient-partners need to consider if they are ready to share their story.
Some stories are wounds requiring further healing; Tie Clip other stories are scars fully processed by patient-partners and ready to be shared publicly.The audience should differentiate between questions that can promote critical thinking versus feel like a “personal attack.” Audiences should recognize vulnerability patient-partners may experience in sharing their stories and engage accordingly.Pre-session and post-session debriefs are important.Shared stories may elicit intense emotions from patient-partners and audiences.
Both groups should be given an opportunity to process and work through emotions.