Maximising the acquisition of core communication skills at the start of medical training
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Published version
Author(s)
Mohiaddin, Hasan
Malik, Anam
Murtagh, Gerald
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Background
Clinical communication teaching for medical undergraduates may involve real patient contact alongside simulated patient contact. However, there is still comparatively little known about the experience of learning with real patients and how that may impact on the simulated patient encounter.
Aim
To explore the impact of real patient contact on the experience of communication skills training and simulated patient contact for first year medical undergraduate students.
Methods
As part of the six-year MBBS undergraduate medical degree at Imperial College London, students are obliged to undertake communication skills training, which involves teaching with simulated and real patients. In 2017 (toward the end of formal teaching), a small sample of Year 1 medical students, who had taken part in extra-curricular teaching with real patients were recruited for the study to compare their performance with a control group in a simulated patient encounter. The performance of both groups was analysed alongside follow up focus group data from a sample of the study group.
Results
Quantitative analysis revealed there was no significant difference in communication skills during a scored simulated patient interview between students with real patient contact and those without. Focus group data, however, revealed valuable insights into the experience of learning with real patients. Students reported a marked increase in their confidence and ability to naturalise their communication skills as a result of real patient contact. Students also reported that skills gained through real patient contact may not always transfer easily to the simulated patient setting.
Conclusion
Real patient contact is an invaluable component of communication training for undergraduate medical students. For successful implementation there needs to be a clear curricular purpose at pedagogical, practical and organisational levels. Students’ experience of real patient contact can provide an informed foundation upon which to implement other modes of teaching.
Keywords:
Real patient contact, Communication skills training, Early years curriculum
Clinical communication teaching for medical undergraduates may involve real patient contact alongside simulated patient contact. However, there is still comparatively little known about the experience of learning with real patients and how that may impact on the simulated patient encounter.
Aim
To explore the impact of real patient contact on the experience of communication skills training and simulated patient contact for first year medical undergraduate students.
Methods
As part of the six-year MBBS undergraduate medical degree at Imperial College London, students are obliged to undertake communication skills training, which involves teaching with simulated and real patients. In 2017 (toward the end of formal teaching), a small sample of Year 1 medical students, who had taken part in extra-curricular teaching with real patients were recruited for the study to compare their performance with a control group in a simulated patient encounter. The performance of both groups was analysed alongside follow up focus group data from a sample of the study group.
Results
Quantitative analysis revealed there was no significant difference in communication skills during a scored simulated patient interview between students with real patient contact and those without. Focus group data, however, revealed valuable insights into the experience of learning with real patients. Students reported a marked increase in their confidence and ability to naturalise their communication skills as a result of real patient contact. Students also reported that skills gained through real patient contact may not always transfer easily to the simulated patient setting.
Conclusion
Real patient contact is an invaluable component of communication training for undergraduate medical students. For successful implementation there needs to be a clear curricular purpose at pedagogical, practical and organisational levels. Students’ experience of real patient contact can provide an informed foundation upon which to implement other modes of teaching.
Keywords:
Real patient contact, Communication skills training, Early years curriculum
Date Issued
2019-08-27
Date Acceptance
2019-07-31
Citation
Advances in Medical Education and Practice, 2019, 10, pp.727-735
ISSN
1179-7258
Publisher
Dove Medical Press
Start Page
727
End Page
735
Journal / Book Title
Advances in Medical Education and Practice
Volume
10
Copyright Statement
© 2019 Mohiaddin et al. This work is published and licensed by Dove Medical Press Limited. The full terms of this license are available at https://www.dovepress.com/
terms.php and incorporate the Creative Commons Attribution – Non Commercial (unported, v3.0) License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/). By accessing
the work you hereby accept the Terms. Non-commercial uses of the work are permitted without any further permission from Dove Medical Press Limited, provided the work is properly attributed.
For permission for commercial use of this work, please see paragraphs 4.2 and 5 of our Terms (https://www.dovepress.com/terms.php).
terms.php and incorporate the Creative Commons Attribution – Non Commercial (unported, v3.0) License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/). By accessing
the work you hereby accept the Terms. Non-commercial uses of the work are permitted without any further permission from Dove Medical Press Limited, provided the work is properly attributed.
For permission for commercial use of this work, please see paragraphs 4.2 and 5 of our Terms (https://www.dovepress.com/terms.php).
Subjects
Science & Technology
Life Sciences & Biomedicine
Medicine, General & Internal
General & Internal Medicine
real patient contact
communication skills training
early years curriculum
SIMULATED PATIENTS
REAL PATIENTS
CLINICAL COMMUNICATION
EDUCATION
STUDENTS
EXPERIENCE
PATIENT
CONFIDENCE
INTERVIEW
CARE
1302 Curriculum and Pedagogy
Publication Status
Published