Improving Medical Students' Communication Skills with Professional Development Teaching
Author Information
Author(s): Joekes Katherine, Noble Lorraine M, Kubacki Angela M, Potts Henry WW, Lloyd Margaret
Primary Institution: UCL
Hypothesis
Does the inclusion of 'professional development' teaching improve medical students' communication skills?
Conclusion
Students receiving the professional development training showed significant improvements in certain communication skills, but students in both cohorts improved over time.
Supporting Evidence
- Students who received professional development teaching achieved higher ratings for communication skills.
- Patient-centred attitudes were not related to observed communication skills.
- Students who felt less nervous and knew how to listen were rated as better communicators.
Takeaway
Teaching medical students how to communicate better with patients helps them improve their skills, but everyone gets better over time.
Methodology
Eighty-two medical students completed two videoed consultations with a simulated patient, one at the beginning of year 1 and one at the end of year 2, with ratings by communication skills tutors.
Potential Biases
Inter-rater reliability issues were noted in the rating of communication skills.
Limitations
The study was based on a small sample from two cohorts at a single institution, which may limit the generalizability of the findings.
Participant Demographics
The sample was 59% female, with a mean age of 19.0 years at baseline.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.001
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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