This training program includes practical skill development workshops for physicians, nurses, nurse practitioners, and teach healthcare professionals from a variety of clinics and programs which serve minority and disadvantaged patients. Chief objectives of these workshops include building skills which enable practitioners to incorporate HIV prevention and risk assessment counseling with all patients or clients seen, regardless of perceived that patients’ perceived risk.

During training workshops, participants practice introducing the topic of HIV with patients, learn to ask patients about risk factors for HIV, and talk with patients about ways of reducing risk of transmission. In addition, participants have an opportunity to providing pre- and post-HIV test counseling. In these interactive small group sessions, trainees practice skill building with standardized patients, actors who are carefully trained to portray real patient cases. At the conclusion of the sessions, the standardized patients give feedback to the participants, providing the patient’s perspective on the interview and provider/patient interaction.

Skills taught and practiced with the standardized patients include

1. introducing the topic of HIV
2. assessing the patient's risk for HIV infection, including taking a sexual history
3. providing information to the patient on risk reduction & "safer" sex
4. recommending HIV testing to the patient
5. providing pre-test counseling to the patient
6. informing the patient of the results of the test
7. providing post-test counseling