Vital Conversations: An Interactive Conflict Resolution Training Session for Fourth-Year Medical Students

Abstract

Introduction:The AAMC has recognized the importance of effective teamwork and collaboration. One core Entrustable Professional Activity emphasizes creating a climate of mutual respect and trust and prioritizing team needs over personal needs, which leads to safe, timely, effective, efficient, and equitable patient care. Relationship conflicts, specifically, are associated with decreased productivity, complex information processing, and work satisfaction. Given the prevalence of conflict and its impact on health care workers, the lack of conflict resolution curricula in undergraduate medical education is surprising. We developed a curriculum formally introducing these skills and allowing practice in a simulated environment before students entered residency. Methods: Fourth-year medical students completed a conflict resolution exercise in a mandatory transition-to-residency course. Students completed online prework including reflection on teamwork and information on conflict resolution styles, participated in a simulated conflict with a standardized patient acting as a nurse, and afterward completed a self-evaluation with video review by the students' assigned coach and feedback on the session. Results: We collected complete responses from 108 students. We evaluated the curriculum for feasibility and acceptability by faculty and students. Most students agreed with faculty on their entrustment and milestone levels. Students found that the session prompted self-reflection and was a good review of conflict resolution. The standardized patient and faculty feedback was found to be the most useful by the students. Discussion: We successfully implemented a simulated but realistic conflict resolution exercise. Students found the exercise helpful in their preparation for residency.

Teaching Conflict Management Skills to Medical Students: A Scoping Review

“…Of these 19 studies, 5 were based on a theory or a model ( 15 , 16 , 23 - 25 ). Teaching methods used in these studies were often in the form of interactive workshops ( 15 , 16 , 23 , 25 - 28 ) roleplay ( 28 ), teaching, and discussion in small groups ( 1 , 14 , 28 , 29 ) and the use of simulation methods ( 15 , 17 , 30 , 31 ). An education through play and talk was used in 1 study ( 32 ).…”

Conflict resolution styles and skills and variation among medical students

“…In 2017, conflict resolution was added to this curriculum. A full description of the conflict resolution curriculum, including students pre-work, description of the simulation and training of actors, post-work and assessment rubric has been previously published [27]. In brief, the conflict resolution session is mandatory for all students and consists of three parts: pre-work, a standardized patient (SP) simulation encounter, and postwork.…”

“…After simulation, the student and the student's coach review the student's video and assess the student's conflict resolution skills using a previously described rubric [27]. This rubric included skills with negotiation and generalizable communication skills and a summative evaluation of entrustability.…”

Conflict Resolution Styles and Skills and Variation among Medical Students

“…In 2016, we introduced a con ict resolution simulation session as part of the transition to residency course. [21] The con ict resolution session is mandatory for all students and consists of three parts: prework, a standardized patient (SP) encounter, and post-work. During the exercise, students review videos of con ict resolution, re ect on their own con ict resolution styles and complete a simulated con ict with another healthcare provider.…”

“…[16][17][18][19][20] We created a con ict resolution simulation for graduating medical students as part of their transition to residency course. [21] The objectives of this study were to 1) evaluate con ict resolution styles amongst graduating medical students, 2) assess if con ict resolution skills as judged by trained faculty coaches were impacted by knowing one's con ict resolution style or by other personal characteristics (e.g. intended specialty, gender, and/or under-represented minority (URM) status, and 3) assess the value to students of practicing con ict resolution skills while considering one's con ict resolution style.…”