Developing a Communication Curriculum and Workshop for an Internal Medicine Residency Program.

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Healthcare Communication
• Physician Training

Background:

• Effective physician communication is crucial for patient safety, adherence, satisfaction, and teamwork.
• Healthcare facility performance is increasingly measured by patient satisfaction scores, such as Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS).

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess internal medicine residents' perceptions of communication skills training.
• To identify gaps in medical education regarding essential physician communication competencies.

Main Methods:

• A communication workshop was delivered to internal medicine residents.
• Workshop topics included patient interaction frameworks, conflict resolution, error disclosure, and intercultural communication.
• Resident perceptions were evaluated via an anonymous post-workshop questionnaire.

Main Results:

• Residents overwhelmingly perceived communication skills as highly important for patient care.
• A majority of residents acknowledged overestimating their initial understanding of these communication skills.
• Demographic variations were observed in resident responses.

Conclusions:

• A significant needs gap exists in current medical education for communication skills.
• Enhanced training in physician communication is recommended at all educational levels.
• Further research is required to pinpoint specific communication areas needing additional training.