Rehearsing for disclosure: Forum Theatre as simulation for preparing medical students for domestic abuse consultations

Abstract Background Healthcare education must evolve to address complex challenges such as domestic abuse, which requires clinicians to demonstrate relational and communication skills competence. While simulation is well suited to experiential learning, developing learners’ interactional abilities, such as adaptability and sensitivity to interpersonal cues, remains challenging. Forum Theatre, a participatory, theatre-based simulation method, emphasises social fidelity and active engagement, enabling learners to rehearse complex interpersonal scenarios. Despite growing interest in Forum Theatre within health professions education, evidence of its application to domestic abuse training remains limited. Given the health impact of domestic abuse and persistent gaps in undergraduate education, this study explores Forum Theatre to support medical students in developing skills to sensitively manage consultations and facilitate disclosure. Methods We conducted a longitudinal qualitative study using a phenomenological approach to explore medical students’ lived experiences of a forum theatre simulation on domestic abuse. Students were recruited at a UK medical school. The Forum Theatre intervention involved an immersive general practice consultation incorporating observation, facilitated discussion, and participant-led interventions. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews at one month and four to six months post-session. Transcripts were analysed using template analysis. A team-based, iterative approach ensured analytical rigour, supported by reflexive practices throughout the study. Results Seven themes illustrated participants’ experiences. Participants described “forgetting that the [Forum Theatre] was not real,” with the approach creating a safe space to reflect on domestic abuse and consulting broadly. The forum integrated experiences, enhancing engagement and psychological safety. Participants became “filled up” with conceptual understanding that bridged the theory–practice gap, with learning embodied and retained at six-month follow-up, to be drawn upon in practice. Forum Theatre functioned as a platform for change, with participants reporting increased professional responsibility, agency, and capacity to act, extending beyond domestic abuse to contexts of oppression. Conclusion This study demonstrates Forum Theatre as a powerful simulation-based approach for preparing medical students for domestic abuse consultations. It creates a psychologically safe, immersive environment that bridges theory and practice, fostering empathy, reflection, and professional identity. Its longitudinal impact shows sustained learning, supporting development of compassionate, confident practitioners able to manage sensitive, relational clinical encounters.