Creating a culture of communication in undergraduate medical education

Abstract

Quality communication improves outcomes across a wide variety of health care metrics. However, communication training in undergraduate medical education remains heterogeneous, with real-life clinical settings notably underutilized. In this perspective, the authors review the current landscape in communication training and propose the development of communication-intensive rotations (CIRs) as a method of integrating communication training into the everyday clinical environment. Despite its importance, communication training is often relegated to a “parallel curriculum.” Through integration, CIRs can provide opportunities for real-life skills training, decrease parallel curriculum burden, and provide specialty-specific training in preparation for residency. Clear, efficient communication and human connection remain central in a physician’s practice. CIRs reinforce these crucial principles. Potential benefits of a CIR model include role modeling of expert communication techniques; real-time, specific feedback on communication behaviors; development of relationship-centered communication skills and human connection, thereby decreasing burnout; and the opportunity for quality communication practices to become habits in a medical student’s daily routine.

Keywords:

• Communication
• curriculum design
• curriculum integration
• relationship-centered care
• undergraduate medical education

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The authors wish to thank Javier Kane, MD, Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, McLane Children’s Hospital, Temple, Texas.