Purpose
Vaccine hesitancy is an emerging public health problem. This project aimed to promote communication skills required to address vaccine concerns of adult patients among Internal Medicine residents.

Methods
An experiential curriculum was embedded into a resident-run clinic and consisted of an interactive educational session followed by telemedicine encounters with standardized patients (SPs) presenting with influenza and varicella zoster virus (VZV) vaccine concerns. SPs evaluated trainee vaccine counseling competencies achieved based on a predefined checklist. An optional post-curriculum survey and interview assessed vaccine attitudes, counseling behaviors, and counseling confidence of residents.

Results
Of the 79 total residents, 67 residents (84%) participated in at least one SP encounter (67 influenza, 50 VZV). 26 residents (32.9%) responded to the survey and 5 residents (6.3%) agreed to be interviewed. While residents effectively addressed most SP concerns regarding the influenza vaccine, gaps were noted in eliciting VZV vaccine concerns. SP comments provided trainees with specific areas for communication improvement. The post-curriculum survey showed that residents had an overall positive attitude toward vaccines. Although 92% (n=24) of the residents felt comfortable communicating with vaccine-hesitant patients, nearly one-quarter (23%, n=6) did not routinely spend time counseling. Interviews highlighted the benefits of the intervention and examples of successful communication strategies.

Conclusions
This multifaceted experiential curriculum using SPs to teach VH counseling skills was effective, well-received and can be replicated by other programs. For many patients under the care of the residents, the clinic visit may be their only interaction with a healthcare provider, making it a pivotal opportunity to provide strong vaccine recommendations and improve overall community health.