Background: Effective communication facilitates therapeutic relationships and builds trust, therefore leading to positive consumer health outcomes. There is a greater need for undergraduate health professional students to have authentic learning experiences to build their competence and confidence to develop communication skills. Objectives: This study sought to explore the learning experiences of health professional students after watching simulated communication videos. The videos were created with consumers to illustrate authentic communication. Design: A descriptive qualitative co-design study. Setting and participants: Second and third year Bachelor of Nursing and Bachelor of Nutrition and Dietetics students. Methods: Data were collected through group and individual interviews and online questions. Thematic analysis was undertaken. Results: Twenty-eight students participated in the research, providing insights into how the videos influenced their understanding of communication and consumer partnerships. On a scale one to five, the students gave the videos an average rating of 4.5 Very useful, the video was quite helpful in understanding communication techniques. Four themes emerged from the qualitative data, including: reinforcing learning concepts; navigating communication; authentic learning; and understanding the patient perspective. Conclusions: Including consumers in the development of resources enables students to connect theory to practice. Watching genuine conversations and different communication styles, better prepares health professional students to develop effective communication skills for their future practice.