Abstract

RUIZ MORAL, Roger. Clinical Communication teaching programs: a review in the context of medical education. Educ. méd. [online]. 2003, vol.6, n.4, pp.159-167. ISSN 1575-1813.

Background: Clinical communication is a physician competence related with doctor diagnostic and therapeutic effectiveness. Clinical Communication can and ought to be teached. Aim: To assess the effectiveness of clinical interviewing teaching programs in pre-postgraduate and CME settings. Material & Methods: Narrative review of experimental studies in teaching communication skills. A bibliographic searching in Medline and Cochrane data bases with or without time boundaries and using the following descriptors: interviewing skills & randomized controlled trial & training; doctor-patient communication & randomize was carried out. Results: 24 papers were accepted and analysed, 11 in vocational training period, 8 in CME, and 5 with medical students. Metodological quality was higher in those studies more recents and in those from CME. Best designs, behavior as main outcome measured, intensive courses or seminars in the context of a clinical rotation related with the topic, adult and learned centred approaches with structured feedback and an early introduction in students and residents, were associated with positive results. Conclusions: An evidence based approach is useful for planning future teaching strategies and methodologies in patient-physician relationship courses or seminars. The early stages in the development of this field in Spain recommend first a teachers teaching program, developing basic skills oriented and well structured programs, and to keep in mind local resources and a adult learning focused methodologies.

Keywords : patient-physician communication; review; clinical interviewing; continuing medical education; training program.

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