A Conceptual Framework for Facilitator Training to Expand Communication-Skills Training among Veterinary Practitioners

Abstract

problems have occurred or vignettes detailing a sequence of events, performed by professional actors. The delegates are provided with case records and an opportunity to ask questions of the actors, who remain in character. This appears to be an extremely effective method of teaching, but so far, no research has been carried out to prove this. Until now, the predominantly skills-based approach to communication training adopted within undergraduate veterinary curricula, training that utilizes a mixture of experiential, problem-based, and didactic teaching, has not been complemented with similar, postgraduate training. This article describes a proposal for a program for veterinary surgeons in practice, based on the East Anglia Deanery Communication Skills Teaching Project. 4 The program is dependent on training a cohort of skilled facilitators, who then become a resource for developing good-quality communication-skills teaching as part of the continuing professional development (CPD) of established general practitioners. Within this process, it is important for facilitators to improve their own communication skills, to develop a sound understanding of what to teach, to recognize the importance of utilizing research that validates the use of specific communication skills, and to develop and practice specific facilitation skills.