Improving medical students' interpersonal communication skills; applying cochrane review evidence: Presenter(s): Conor Gilligan, University of Newcastle, Australia. (April 2023)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Lynagh, Marita; Powell, Martine; Ward, Bernadette; Harvey, Pam; Londsdale, Chris; Dewi, Sari; Rich, Dominique; Croft, Hayley; Nepal, Smriti; Silverman, Jonathan
• Is Part Of: Patient education and counseling. Volume 109(2023)Supplement
• Page Start: 78
• Publication Date: 2023-04
• Subjects: Patient education -- Periodicals; Health counseling -- Periodicals; Health education -- Periodicals; Counseling -- Periodicals; Patient Education -- Periodicals; Éducation des patients -- Périodiques; Counseling -- Périodiques; Éducation sanitaire -- Périodiques; 615.5071
• DOI: 10.1016/j.pec.2022.10.184
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0738-3991

Abstract

Abstract : Background: The demand for medical students to be trained to communicate effectively has seen the emergence of interpersonal communication skills as core graduate competencies in medical training. We conducted a systematic review of interventions for medical students aiming to improve interpersonal communication in medical consultations. Methods: We searched five electronic databases in September 2020 and screened reference lists of relevant articles. We included randomised controlled trials, cluster-RCTs, and non-randomised controlled trials evaluating the effectiveness of interventions delivered to students in pre-service medical programmes. Standard Cochrane methodological procedures were used. Findings: We found 91 publications relating to 76 separate studies (involving 10, 124 students). We performed meta-analysis according to comparison and outcome. Outcomes reporting on overall communication skills, empathy, rapport or relationship building, patient perceptions/satisfaction, information gathering, and explanation and planning were reported separately. The quality of evidence ranged from moderate to very low, and there was high, unexplained heterogeneity. Overall, interventions had positive effects on most outcomes, but generally small effect sizes and low quality limit the conclusions that can be drawn. Key Findings: for discussion include: programmes that include personalised feedback probably improve medical students' overall communication skills more than programmes that involve general or no feedback; and online or self-directed programmes may make little to no difference in improving skills in empathy or rapport compared with face-to-face teaching. Discussion: Since publication of the papers in the review, the tertiary education sector has been rocked by the global Covid-19 pandemic. Taken together, the results of our review and the subsequent pandemic-related experiences lend weight to the notion that 'when taught, students will learn'. Combining the lessons of the review with those of the pandemic, we are in a position to offer well-informed guidance to educators and accreditors about the most practical and evidence-based approaches to teaching communication skills.