[Effect of 13 hours of medical interview training in undergraduate medical education]

The effect of a preparartory course in the medical interview ("taking history") followed by four months of practice was studied by comparison of a sample of trained students with a large group of untrained students, using the ACIRS rating scale. The course was 13 hours, spread out over one month. Training methods were 2 demonstrations and 3 videorecordings of interviews with simulated patients followed by feedback. Untrained students had severe gaps in important professional communication skills. About half of the trained students filled in these gaps as a result of the training. It is concluded that a short preparatory course followed by clinical experience is not enough to secure necessary interviewing skills in most medical students.