Teaching the art of emergency medicine

The devaluation of interpersonal skills in medical education and practice has contributed to the current breakdown of the patient-physician relationship. The proliferation of medical technologies and the rise of the medical-industrial complex require even greater competency in these skills. No guidelines exist for teaching and/or evaluating interpersonal skills within emergency medicine residency programs. A written survey sent to all directors of allopathic emergency medicine residencies revealed large differences among programs in terms of quantity of formal teaching and specific formats used. A literature review demonstrates the direct impact of interpersonal skills on patient care and suggests methods for measuring proficiency in these skills. Elements of a core curriculum are proposed.