A team approach in communication instruction: a qualitative description

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Communication Studies
• Surgical Training

Background:

• Effective communication is crucial in postgraduate surgical residency programs.
• Existing communication training may not adequately address the unique demands of surgical environments.
• Developing specific instructional goals and objectives (IGOs) is necessary for this specialized field.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish communication instructional goals and objectives (IGOs) tailored for a postgraduate surgical residency program.
• To design and test a communication curriculum focused on "affirming communication" and its impact on clinical and organizational outcomes.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of the communication curriculum in enhancing knowledge, perceptions, and attitudes.

Main Methods:

• The curriculum was based on principles including leadership as a communication skill, the individuality of perception, team dynamics as relational, the unreality of a "perfect world" in training, and the need for global nurturing of change.
• A communication curriculum was tested on subjects within a rural trauma network.
• The curriculum aimed to teach "affirming communication" and its link to positive outcomes.

Main Results:

• Statistically significant improvements were observed in knowledge acquisition related to communication skills.
• Participants showed significant changes in perceptions and attitudes toward communication.
• The curriculum demonstrated potential for positive organizational and clinical outcomes.

Conclusions:

• Communication curricula for medical education must integrate theories from both communication and medicine.
• Collaboration between communication and medical professionals is essential for designing effective surgical communication training.
• The developed curriculum, grounded in social sciences, is applicable to surgery and enhances communication competence.