How to talk about sex and do it well: a course for medical students

Abstract

SUMMARY Sexual health consultations require good general communication skills and an ability to discuss issues such as sexual orientation and sexual practices sensitively and without embarrassment. Whereas the former are usually taught at medical school the latter are not. This paper describes the development and evaluation of a sexual health communication skills course for fifth-year medical students. It documents students' limited experience of discussing sexual health issues with patients and the significant decrease in their feelings of discomfort about doing so after a single two-hour training session. Some 97% of students felt that the course was relevant to clinical practice and all found it enjoyable. On the basis of this information the authors recommend that other medical schools run similar courses.