Communication Skills After Graduation: Opinions of Polish Healthcare Professionals

Compulsory education of communication skills has begun to develop in Poland over the past several years. The aim of this study was to explore perception of preparation by the universities and self-assessment in communication skills among Polish doctors, nurses and midwives.

The research was based on an online survey examining 22 communication skills. A list of communication skills was created based on the recommendations for teaching medical communication described in the Calgary-Cambridge model. Data collection took place from March to July 2022. The sample consisted of a variety of health professions, including physicians, nurses and midwives.

The results show that medical school graduates who took part in the survey rated their preparation in communication skills as low and the number of hours dedicated to communication training as insufficient. The most challenging aspects of communication skills include dealing with patient aggression, handling patients who express complaints, grievances, or expectations and discussing non-medical treatments with patients. The surveyed nurses and midwives rated their overall preparation significantly higher than physicians and felt strong in showing empathy. Doctors in turn assessed their task-oriented communication skills as much better.

The respondents emphasized the importance of communication skills training. Our findings underscore the urgent need for structured, longitudinal communication training within medical education, supported by systemic changes at the levels of policy, curriculum design, and faculty development. Communication skills must be prioritized as core clinical competencies across all health professions, not treated as peripheral elements of medical education and ideally should be continued throughout one's medical career and postgraduate education. Particular emphasis should be placed on teaching how to manage patient aggression, address complaints, and communicate with patients who pursue alternative medicine and not evidence based treatment. These results may also assist universities in other countries, where medical curricula are being implemented.