The effect of training on medical students' responses to geriatric patient concerns: results of a linguistic analysis
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Updated: Oct 9, 2026

Oral Health Assessment by Lay Personnel for Older Adults
Published on: February 2, 2020
Abstract:
The results of a randomized, controlled study indicated that an experience-based educational intervention in which medical students interview volunteer nursing home residents significantly changed medical students' responses to two geriatric patient vignettes. Despite prevailing ageist biases, the intervention enhanced students' abilities to identify and respond therapeutically to hypothetical elderly patients' underlying expressions of concern and, furthermore, prepared students for patient-centered geriatric interviewing. The use of elderly volunteers to assist in practice interview sessions helps sensitize future physicians to the problems of aging and teaches them empathic communication skills.
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Barriers to Effective Communication II
Cultural barriers:
Differences in values, beliefs, religion, knowledge, and tradition can significantly impact communication. Awareness of nonverbal cues is critical, especially when conversing with a patient from a different culture. What appears appropriate in one culture may be inappropriate in another.
Semantic barriers:
As a result of their tendency to use...
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