Purpose
Generation Z students, who favor digital interactions, may find face-to-face communication challenging, underscoring the need for early training in these skills. Enhancing communication skills, particularly when explaining scientific concepts, is crucial for improving patient understanding and facilitating informed decision-making regarding clinical trial participation. Therefore, the aim of this study is to evaluate the impact of role-playing simulations in enhancing communication skills among medical biosciences students.

Methods
Twenty-six 5th- and 6th-semester students from a medical biosciences program participated in two role-play scenarios: (a) enrolling patients in a clinical trial and (b) presenting a research project among classmates. Three roles were assigned: speaker, listener, and observer. Communication performance was anonymously evaluated by peers using a 5-point Likert scale, assessing clarity, engagement, and empathy. A Q&A session followed each scenario to evaluate students’ responsiveness and adaptability to audience feedback.

Results
Most students (92.3%) effectively addressed audience feedback during the Q&A after the role-play scenario, demonstrating adaptability. While 61.5% of students strongly agreed that deciding how each member would address the Q&A allowed a more effective interaction with the audience, 38.5% were less confident, indicating room for growth in preparation. 65.4% of participants indicated strong agreement with their ability to manage effectively when confronted with questions beyond their confidence level, while 34.6% were neutral or disagreed. The observer group described audience attentiveness as high, with 84.6% confidently stating they listened actively without distractions.

Conclusions
The findings suggest that structured, interactive exercises like role-playing can effectively improve both the clarity and engagement of students when conveying complex information. These results highlight the potential of integrating such training into the curriculum to better prepare students for real-world clinical and research communication challenges, especially in patient interactions and clinical trial settings.