Communication skills of medical students: survey of self- and external perception in a longitudinally based trend study

Abstract

Background: As good communication skills are crucial for doctor-patient interactions, it is recommended to incorporate them in medical school programs from the very beginning. On this basis medical schools in Germany introduced the OSCE (objective structured clinical examination) to examine and by this foster learning of communication skills as assessment drives learning. The aim of the study was to examine the development of the communication skills of medical students during an OSCE to investigate how communication competence has developed between different student cohorts. Methods: This study is a longitudinal trend study based on seven semester-cohorts, examining the communication skills of medical students in the OSCE both from the perspective of students and from the viewpoint of standardized patients (SP). Altogether, 1027 students from seven semester cohorts were asked to rate their own communication skills (self-perception) before the OSCE exam started. Here, sub-analyses were performed to outline a potential influence of previous history-taking group participation. The SP evaluated the students' communication skills in external perception during the OSCE exam at each station with history-taking or physical examinations. The communication skills in both groups were ascertained in the dimensions of empathy, content structure, verbal expression, and non-verbal expression. Results: Only in the dimension of non-verbal expression could a statistically significant change be found in students' self-perception over the years. Notably, the rating of communication skills as self-rated by the students has risen constantly, whereas they deteriorated from the perspective of standardized patients (SP). It has also been found that previous history-taking courses have a positive influence on the structural dimension of communication skills in particular. Conclusions: The results of this study support conclusions of other studies which also suggest differences between self-and external perception of medical students' communication skills. Nevertheless, students showed good overall communication skills in the four dimensions of empathy, content structure, verbal expression, and non-verbal expression, as demonstrated in a longitudinal trend study over seven semesters. However, we noted that externally rated empathy levels declined over the semester cohorts, suggesting the need for new priorities to be set in student teaching.

Communication Skills of Resident Physicians in Aseer Region, Saudi Arabia

“…However, it is clear that the communication skills of residents are lacking. Previous research has reported differences between self and patient perceptions of physicians' communication skills (31). This comparison is lacking in the current work and is one of its limitations.…”

Communication skills training in advance care planning: a survey among medical students at the University of Antwerp

“…(28) Interestingly, a study by Graf and colleagues described that communication skill training had improved the students' self-con dence over seven semesters, but that external ratings (standardized patients) of their communicative skills showed a decline. (29) Lastly and not unexpectedly, con dence scores in resolving or negotiating con icts were relatively low. Although, during the classes on diversity, we try and provide starting doctors with tools to help them deal with issues arising from differences in cultures, religions and norms and values, where in the simulation we confront them with an angry or aggressive patient, it requires encounters in clinical practice to further develop this skill.…”

Communication skills training in advance care planning: a survey among medical students at the University of Antwerp

“…Interestingly, a study by Graf and colleagues described that communication skills training had improved the students’ self-confidence. However, this increase in self-confidence didn’t correlate with the external rating (by patients) of their communicative skills, showing again the importance of skill rating [ 24 ]. As a side note, we would like to emphasize that our study focuses purely on the communicative aspect of ACP and the communicative skills involved.…”