'Difficult Conversations with Patients'-A Modified Group Objective Structured Clinical Experience for Medical...

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Communication Skills Training

Background:

• Limited resources often challenge effective medical education.
• Difficult conversations are a critical area for communication skills development in medical students.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate a modified Group Objective Structured Clinical Experience (GOSCE) for teaching difficult conversations.
• To assess differences in outcomes between active student participants and observers.

Main Methods:

• A pre-post analysis of attitudes and self-efficacy was conducted on 126 sixth-year medical students.
• The study involved a modified GOSCE intervention focused on communication skills.
• Data were collected through questionnaires assessing communication skills, attitudes, and opinions.

Main Results:

• Significant improvements were observed in self-efficacy and attitudes towards communication learning for both active participants and observers.
• A decrease in motivation scores was noted, particularly among female students.
• Students reported positive opinions regarding the GOSCE intervention and its components.

Conclusions:

• The modified GOSCE is an effective and enjoyable learning experience for medical students, particularly under resource constraints.
• Curriculum adjustments may be needed to enhance the perceived importance of communication learning.
• Further investigation into motivation score changes is warranted.