User's Guide

Communication

Communication is one of the six areas identified by the FMCR's CCP in the Areas for Greater Emphasis in the preclerkship preparation of students entering the core clinical clerkships. This can be accessed at:

http://fammed.musc.edu/fmc/data/Preclerkship/

Taking this thread further, within the CCP's "Competency -based Curriculum Resource for Preclerkship Education (using ACGME Structure)" which can be accessed via http://fammed.musc.edu/fmc/data/Preclerkship/ in the file on Interpersonal and Communication Skills there are suggestions   for what and how to teach   students prior to entering the clerkships.

Taking this thread even further, since it is one of the main six areas addressed by the ACGME competencies, there are many other places to find resources on communication skills within the other components of the FMCR Project resource.   For example, within the broad family medicine clerkship objectives which are indexed by three family medicine themes for the clerkship and by ACGME competencies, the following broad goals and objectives for the family medicine clerkship around communication skills are suggested:

Acute & Chronic Illness Theme for FM Clerkship

• Create and sustain therapeutic and ethically sound relationships with patients and families utilizing a patient-centered approach.
• Encourage patients with episodic or acute illnesses to seek continuing medical care.
• Document appropriate information for acute and continuing care in the patient record.
• Participate in consultation and referral to other health care professionals.
• Demonstrate effective, respectful communication with other healthcare professionals   and clinical faculty.
• Demonstrate the ability to effectively communicate with patients and families through an interpreter.
• Effectively educate the patient and concerned person/caregiver in a triangular relationship.

Prevention & Wellness Theme for FM Clerkship

• Translate epidemiologic findings and guidelines into patient recommendations for a specific disease prevention intervention.

Community & Population Medicine for FM Clerkship

• Develop community education program

Another more specific example can be found within the Special Topic Resources component.   For example, within the special topic of mental health http://fammed.musc.edu/fmc/data/MentalHealth.htm   the following are suggested for medical students around communication skills :

GOAL:   Students will demonstrate interpersonal and communications skills that put others at ease, facilitate the accurate exchange of information, and provide social support.   (*=more appropriate for the advanced, clinical student)

OBJECTIVES: Students will be able to:

• Demonstrate caring and respect when interacting with patients and their families even when confronted with atypical or emotionally charged behaviors.
• Describe strategies for calming and supporting emotionally upset individuals.
• Elicit and attend to patients' specific concerns.
• Demonstrate validation of the patient's feelings by naming emotions and expressing empathy.
• Display a non-judgmental manner in order to allow patients to raise mental health concerns.
• Use basic cognitive-behavioral interventions to help moderate patients' reactions to the circumstances of their lives.*
• Adapt communication strategies to special needs of mental health and developmentally disabled patients.
• Explain the need for referral to a mental health specialist to a patient and provide realistic expectations about what services would be provided.*
• Communicate patient information in an organized prioritized fashion that demonstrates understanding of the biopsychosocial nature of the clinical problem, the preliminary assessment and possible treatment*

For questions or comments, please contact Webmaster or Ardis Davis

This page last updated October 22, 2004