PONE-D-19-16171

Learning to assist smokers through encounters with standardized patients: an innovative training for physicians in an Eastern European country

PLOS ONE

Dear Dr Movsisyan,

Thank you for submitting your manuscript to PLOS ONE. After careful consideration, we feel that it has merit but does not fully meet PLOS ONE’s publication criteria as it currently stands. Therefore, we invite you to submit a revised version of the manuscript that addresses the points raised during the review process.

The paper concisely presents the findings of a feasibility study. It is generally clear and readable. Please refer to my comments and those of the reviewer to make minor amendments to the paper.

Throughout – please check your reference formatting – need a space before the (citation).

Page 3 ‘one such scheme’ – it is unclear what this refers to. I suggest breaking the introduction into several paragraphs and beginning a new one at this point – introduce the concept of various programs designed to improve physicians smoking cessation skills and provide a few examples of other programs – not just the Swiss example you have adapted.

Please clarify and emphasise this as a feasibility study and note the future need to evaluate effectiveness through evaluation of practitioner behaviour.

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Conor Gilligan

Academic Editor

PLOS ONE

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Additional Editor Comments:

The paper concisely presents the findings of a feasibility study. It is generally clear and readable. Please refer to my comments and those of the reviewer to make minor amendments to the paper.

Throughout – please check your reference formatting – need a space before the (citation).

Page 3 ‘one such scheme’ – it is unclear what this refers to. I suggest breaking the introduction into several paragraphs and beginning a new one at this point – introduce the concept of various programs designed to improve physicians smoking cessation skills and provide a few examples of other programs – not just the Swiss example you have adapted.

Please clarify and emphasise this as a feasibility study and note the future need to evaluate effectiveness through evaluation of practitioner behaviour.

[Note: HTML markup is below. Please do not edit.]

Reviewers' comments:

Reviewer's Responses to Questions

Comments to the Author

1. Is the manuscript technically sound, and do the data support the conclusions?

The manuscript must describe a technically sound piece of scientific research with data that supports the conclusions. Experiments must have been conducted rigorously, with appropriate controls, replication, and sample sizes. The conclusions must be drawn appropriately based on the data presented.

Reviewer #1: Yes

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2. Has the statistical analysis been performed appropriately and rigorously?

Reviewer #1: Yes

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3. Have the authors made all data underlying the findings in their manuscript fully available?

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Reviewer #1: Yes

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4. Is the manuscript presented in an intelligible fashion and written in standard English?

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Reviewer #1: Yes

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5. Review Comments to the Author

Please use the space provided to explain your answers to the questions above. You may also include additional comments for the author, including concerns about dual publication, research ethics, or publication ethics. (Please upload your review as an attachment if it exceeds 20,000 characters)

Reviewer #1: The revised version of this manuscript addresses the previous issues raised. Below are some minor additional suggestions.

1) In the discussion could consider acknowledging that the design was a pre-post design for this feasibility study and given that there was no control group the effectiveness of the training program cannot be determined.

2) In the analysis section could consider rephrasing the first sentence to "Given the purpose of this study was to examine feasibility we aimed to recruit a sample size of 40 participants."

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Reviewer #1: No

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Learning to assist smokers through encounters with standardized patients: an innovative training for physicians in an Eastern European country

PONE-D-19-16171R1

Dear Dr. Movsisyan,

We are pleased to inform you that your manuscript has been judged scientifically suitable for publication and will be formally accepted for publication once it complies with all outstanding technical requirements.

Within one week, you will receive an e-mail containing information on the amendments required prior to publication. When all required modifications have been addressed, you will receive a formal acceptance letter and your manuscript will proceed to our production department and be scheduled for publication.

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With kind regards,

Conor Gilligan

Academic Editor

PLOS ONE

Additional Editor Comments (optional):

Thank you for carefully addressing the comments raised about your paper. The paper reads well and makes an interesting and worthwhile contribution to the literature.

Reviewers' comments: