Utilizing the DiSC Assessment in Surgical Residency Leadership Training to Address Communication Skill Acquisition: A...

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Surgical Residency Training
• Communication Skills Development

Background:

• Effective communication is crucial for high-quality patient care.
• Resident education increasingly emphasizes nontechnical skills and communication training.
• The DiSC model (Dominance, Influence, Steadiness, Conscientiousness) offers insights into communication styles.

Purpose of the Study:

• To map the DiSC model to the Kern 6-step curriculum development framework.
• To implement and evaluate a communication and leadership curriculum for surgical residents.
• To summarize resident feedback on the DiSC tool's utility in residency.

Main Methods:

• A needs assessment identified a lack of formal communication and leadership education.
• A 4-session leadership curriculum was developed for a surgical residency program.
• The DiSC tool (79-question survey) was used to assess residents' communication styles.

Main Results:

• 100% of surveyed residents agreed communication training was important, but only 21% felt adequately trained.
• Residents reported the DiSC tool was useful throughout the year.
• The most appreciated aspect was learning to understand others' communication styles.

Conclusions:

• Behavioral assessment tools like DiSC enhance residents' self-awareness of communication techniques.
• Focusing on communication skills, including DiSC, can improve patient care.
• This leadership curriculum offers value to surgical residency programs and other training institutions.