To the content
4 . 2022

A CONSENSUAL APPROACH TO TEACHING COMMUNICATION SKILLS IN MEDICAL EDUCATION: BARRIERS TO IMPLEMENTATION

Abstract

Background. Communicative competence is an important component of a doctor’s professionalism and a mandatory requirement for the learning outcomes of medical graduates. However, the lack of a coherent approach to teaching communication skills at all levels of medical education in Russia is not able to provide sustainable results in preparing students for effective interaction and communication with patients.

The aim of the study – to identify barriers to implementing a coherent approach to teaching communication skills to medical students and justify steps to overcome them.

Methods. The study involved 47 people registered as participants in the round table «Models of Professional Communication in Clinical Practice», organized on the initiative of the all-Russian public organization «Russian Society for Simulation Education in Medicine» (ROSOMED), on March 17, 2022. The event was conducted online – survey of participants using a Google form to identify their attitude to the Agreed Approach and barriers to its implementation.

Results. It was revealed that the vast majority of respondents (93%) do not consider the quality of preparation of medical students to communicate with patients as satisfactory. They associate the solution of the problem with the development and implementation of a coordinated approach, which should become an alternative to the traditional disparate practices of teaching communication skills to medical students (98%). It has been established that the human barrier and the barrier associated with teaching experience are the main triggers on the way to the development and implementation of a consistent approach.

Conclusion. The positive attitude of the absolute majority of the round table participants to the justification and implementation of a coordinated approach in teaching and assessing the communication skills of medical students and doctors, their readiness and ability to actively participate in its development, an adequate assessment of real and potential barriers, mainly human ones, are important conditions in order to consistently solve such an important scientific and practical problem at this stage in the development of Russian medical education.

Keywords:consensual approach; medical education; training; assessment; communication skills; barriers; teachers; medical students

Funding. The study had no sponsor support.

Conflict of interest. The authors declare no conflict of interest.

For citation: Vasilyeva E.Yu., Shubina L.B. A consensual approach to teaching communication skills in medical education: barriers to implementation. Meditsinskoe obrazovanie i professional’noe razvitie [Medical education and professional development]. 2022; 13 (4): 20–30. DOI: https://doi.org/10.33029/2220-8453-2022-13-4-20-30 (in Russian)

References

1.Aspegren K. Beme Guide No. 2: Teaching and learning communication skills in medicine – a review with quality grading of articles. Med Teach. 1999; 2: 563–70.

2.Makoul G. Essential elements of communication in medical encounters: the Kalamazoo consensus statement. Acad. Med. 2001; 76 (4): 390–3.

3.Laidlaw A., Hart Jo. Communication skills: an essential component of medical curricula. Part I: Assessment of clinical communication: AMEE Guide No. 51. Med Teach. 2011; 33 (1): 6–8.

4.Rider E.A. A model for communication skills assessment across the undergraduate curriculum. Med Teach. 2006; 28 (5): 127–34. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/01421590600726540 [Electronic resource]. URL: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/ (date of access July 05, 2022)

5.Rider E.A. Interpersonal and communication skills. In: E.A. Rider, R.H. Nawotniak. A Practical Guide to Teaching and Assessing the ACGME Core Competencies. 2nd ed. Marblehead, MA: HCPro, 2010: 1–137.

6.Order of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation No. 988 dated August 12, 2020 «On approval of the Federal state educational standard of higher education-specialty in the specialty 31.05.01 Medical business» (with amendments and additions). Revision with amendments No. 1456 of 26.11.2020. URL: https://fgosvo.ru/uploadfiles/FGOS%20VO%203++/Spec/310501_C_3_18062021.pdf (in Russian)

7.Davydova N.S., D’yachenko E.V., Samoylenko N.V., Shubina L.B., Serkina A.V., Bottaev N.A. Federal pilot: assessment of communication skills during the primary accreditation of a specialist – 2018: results, results. Virtual’nye tekhnologii v meditsine [Virtual Technologies in Medicine]. 2018; 2 (20): 61–2. (in Russian)

8.Vasil’eva E. Yu., Kuz’minskaya T.V. Assessment of communication skills with patients in the process of primary specialized accreditation: realities and opportunities. Profilakticheskaya meditsina [Preventive Medicine]. 2022; 25 (2): 86–90. (in Russian)

9. Ivanova N.L., Dubinenkova E.N. Introduction of innovations in public administration: problems and factors. Voprosy upravleniya [Management Issues]. 2014; (4): 33–4. URL: https://cyberleninka.ru/article/n/vnedrenie-innovatsiy-v-sfere-gosudarstvennogo-upravleniya-problemy-i-faktory (in Russian)

All articles in our journal are distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0 license)

CHIEF EDITOR
CHIEF EDITOR
Balkizov Zalim Zamirovich
Secretary General of the Russian Society of Medical Education Specialists, Director of the Institute of Training of Medical Education Specialists of the Russian Medical Academy of Continuing Professional Education, 125993, Moscow, Russian Federation, Professor of the Department of Vocational Education and Educational Technologies of the N.I. Pirogov RNIMU of the MOH of Russia, CEO of GEOTAR-Med, Advisor President of the National Medical Chamber, Moscow, Russian Federation

Journals of «GEOTAR-Media»