Teaching communication skills. An essential part of residency training
E. R. Morgan and R. J. Winter
Department of Pediatrics, Northwestern University Medical School, Chicago, Ill., USA.
OBJECTIVE: To design a structured curriculum concerning issues of
communication with patients and families for use during training of
pediatric residents. BACKGROUND: The stimulus for this initiative arose
from residents perceived need for such a program and the realization that a
structured approach to communication techniques did not currently exist in
our residency and, in fact, in many undergraduate and graduate medical
education curricula. METHODS: Our program was designed to address complex
and difficult areas in physician-patient interaction, including how to
deliver "bad news," deal with hostile parents, and speak to children about
serious illness; the psychosocial aspects of death and dying were also
covered in the program. Various teaching techniques were used. We attempted
to assess residents' response and alteration in behavior consequent to the
program. RESULTS: The program was successfully incorporated into the
training of our residents and was carried out by using existent personnel;
minimal expense was incurred. The residents thought the course was valuable
and effective, although no statistically significant change in the
communication skills of residents could be demonstrated. CONCLUSIONS: The
area of physician-patient communication can be taught in a structured
fashion during residency. Programs should be devised to meet the changing
needs of training during residency and should incorporate the unique
strengths of individual institutions.
