Communication Skills Attitude Scale Research Articles

Attitudes toward communication skills with learner needs assessment within radiology residency programs in China: a cross-sectional survey

BackgroundCommunication skills (CS) represent a core competency in radiology residency training. However, no structured curriculum exists to train radiology residents in CS in China. The aim of this study was to evaluate the status and prevalence of doctor–patient communication training among radiology residents in nine Chinese accredited radiology residency training programs and to determine whether there is a perceived need for a formalized curriculum in this field.MethodsWe administered a cross-sectional online survey to radiology residents involved in CS training at nine standard residency training programs in China. The questionnaire developed for this study included CS training status, residents’ demographics, attitudes toward CS training, communication needs, and barriers. Residents’ attitudes toward CS training were measured with the Communication Skills Attitude Scale (CSAS) and its subscales, a positive attitude scale (PAS) and negative attitude scale (NAS).ResultsA total of 133 (48.36%) residents participated in the survey. The mean total scores on the two dimensions of the CSAS were 47.61 ± 9.35 in the PAS and 36.34 ± 7.75 in the NAS. Factors found to be significantly associated with the PAS included receiving previous training in CS, medical ethics, or humanities and the doctor’s attire. We found that first-year residents and poor personal CS were the most influential factors on the NAS. Only 58.65% of participants reported having previously received CS training during medical school, and 72.93% of respondents reported failure in at least one difficult communication during their residency rotation. Most of those surveyed agreed that CS can be learned through courses and were interested in CS training. Some of the most common barriers to implementing formal CS training were a lack of time, no standardized curriculum, and a lack of materials and faculty expertise.ConclusionsMost residents had a very positive attitude toward CS training and would value further training, despite the limited formal CS training for radiology residents in China. Future efforts should be made to establish and promote a standard and targeted CS curriculum for Chinese radiology residents.

IJCM_1A: Connecting Compassionately: An Evaluation of Medical Graduates and Postgraduates Attitudes Toward Learning Communication Skills

Background: Good communication skills are crucial for clinicians, influencing patient health and satisfaction. These skills build trust between patients and providers, preventing risks and conflicts. The 2019 introduction of the Attitude, Ethics, and Communication (AETCOM) module in MBBS curriculum by the Medical Council of India aims to enhance medical students’ communication skills, curb malpractices, and uphold patient’s trust in doctors. Methodology: It’s a cross-sectional study conducted in the Department of Community Medicine, J. N. Medical College, AMU, Aligarh. A total of 478 medical-graduates and PGs (divided into four groups of first (2023), second (2022+2021), third (2020+2019) MBBS-batch and fourth (Interns+ PGs) groups) were enrolled to fill up the communication skills attitude scale (CSAS) questionnaire online which consists of 13 positive and 13 negative, and also 13 affective, 5 cognitive and 4 respect attitude questions which was scored in five-point Likert’s scale. The data was analyzed using SPSS 20.0 software. Results: Overall score for positive, negative, affective, cognitive and respect domain were 36.6±7.0, 54.3±6.2, 43.5±4.6, 17.4±2.1 and 17.0±2.3 respectively. There is significant difference in score of negative attitude of first group with second and third group (34.4 vs 37.5, p=0.003 and 34.4 vs 37.8, p=0.001) respectively while positive attitude remained same. Also, significant difference in affective (42.6 vs 44.3, p=0.036) and cognitive (17.1 vs 17.9, p=0.034) component between first and fourth group while no such difference was found in respect attitude. Conclusion: Study reveals a positive inclination among medical graduates and PGs towards CSLP while a decrease in negative attitude of interns and PGs from final year students, may be due to increase in clinical exposure with the patients. The favorable attitude underscores the potential for successful integration of such programs into medical education, fostering effective communication, enhancing the quality of patient care.

Attitudes toward learning communication skills among Iranian medical students

BackgroundAttitudes determine behavior, and alterations in attitude may result in behavioral changes. Medical students would benefit from learning communication skills. This study aimed to determine the attitude of medical students toward the importance of learning communication skills and the training courses and their role in contributing.MethodsIn this cross-sectional study, 442 medical students from three different levels of medical training were enrolled. Students in the first 4 years of the medical program were classified as basic sciences and physiopathology students, those in the fifth and sixth years were classified as clerkship students, and those in the last three terms of medical training were classified as interns. The attitude among these three groups was assessed by the Communication Skills Attitude Scale (CSAS) questionnaire, and the contributing factors were determined.ResultsThe mean total points for attitude in positive and negative aspects were 50.7 and 30.9, respectively showing a positive attitude toward communication skills among medical students. The median scores of the scales Important in Medical Content, Excuse, Learning, and Overconfidence varied significantly from highest to lowest, respectively. Gender, educational level, ethnic origin, language, family burden, paternal literacy, history of presence in communication skills courses, self-report from communication skills, and need to further learning in this era showed significant association with attitude (P < 0.05).ConclusionsIt may be concluded that generally, medical students have a positive attitude toward communication skills, and this perspective is a multi-factorial entity that programming according to the various related factors would help to attainment of additional communication capabilities among medical students.

Visual Intelligence Education as a Tool for Enhancing Medical Students' Self-Perception of Communication Skills.

Visual arts-based exposure and training are effective tools to enhance medical education. The visual arts can increase emotional intelligence and critical thinking skills. This study, conducted at Georgetown University School of Medicine (GUSoM) and the National Gallery of Art (NGA) in Washington, DC, was designed to measure the effect of a visual arts elective course on medical students' self-perception of their communication skills. This 6-week course involved lessons at the NGA and GUSoM for16 second-year medical students. The intervention students were age and gender-matched to14 second-year medical student control participants who took different elective courses. Prior to and following the intervention, the participants completed the Communication Skills Attitude Scale (CSAS). Statistical analysis was performed with either the 2-sided t-test or 2-sided Wilcoxon rank-sum test. There were no statistically significant differences in the presurvey scores between the groups. However, there were 6 CSAS questions in the postsurveys that had statistically significant differences between the 2 groups. Within each group, there were also numerous statistically significant differences between their presurvey and postsurvey responses, with positive changes occurring in the intervention group (IG) and primarily negative changes occurring in the control group (CG). The NGA course improved the self-perception of communication skills, with students reporting stronger views on the importance of communication skills in teamwork and patient rapport. The CG, on the other hand, did not have as many improved perceptions of communication skills and had stronger opinions regarding not needing the ability to communicate well to be a good physician. This study indicates that medical student communication skills can benefit from exposure to visual arts activities and experiences. Future physicians must become effective communicators, and this study paves the way for research investigating the relationship between visual arts education and the development of a physician's communication skills.

Tangible impact of patient communication modules on medical students and interns.

Attitude, ethics, and communication are key attributes in the doctor-patient relationship and to strengthen these qualities, the National Medical Commission, the body that regulates medical education and medical professionals in India introduced a course called Attitudes, Ethics and Communication (AETCOM) in the undergraduate medical curriculum. The objective of this study was to ascertain the perceptible qualitative influence of the modules in communication in the AETCOM course and to obtain feedback on its implementation. In this cross-sectional study, the attitude of medical students in all stages of training including internship was first explored using a Communication Skills Attitude Scale. Out of 27 modules in AETCOM course, five modules named foundations of communication deal with communication, and they are taught from the first to final professional years of training. After introducing communication modules in AETCOM for all professional years, feedback was collected from interns who had completed training in all modules. The interns provided feedback with a validated scale and two focused group discussions. Additionally, feedback from faculty involved in teaching AETCOM was analyzed. There was a significant increase in the positive attitude scores in the final year and internship compared to the first year. Eighty percent of the interns agreed that communication modules in AETCOM were useful and that they equipped them with the communication skills required for actual practice during their internship. Faculty agreed that these modules motivated the students to acquire communication skills. However, faculty also felt that these modules alone may not be sufficient to learn communication skills.NEW & NOTEWORTHY In the current study, we have assessed the attitude of medical students toward learning communication skills in all stages of their training. The novelty of our study is that communication modules were formally introduced for the first time into the medical curriculum and feedback was obtained from a cohort of interns who completed training in all modules in communication from AETCOM. The feedback from faculty and students provided us with concepts to improvise these modules.

The effect of implementing the COMFORT communication model on communication skills of nursing students.

Effective communication as a key component of palliative care requires sufficient knowledge and experience to make nursing interventions successful. This quasi-experimental study was conducted to determine the effectiveness of the COMFORT communication model as an intervention to improve student nurses' communication skills while they are under clinical training in specialist palliative care inpatient units. The population sample included 86 student nurses who were randomly assigned into two groups of 40. The intervention group received training on communication skills using the COMFORT communication model. Nine lectures were delivered online or offline; the lectures lasted between 25 to 60 minutes. The control group received the conventional educational programme about communication with patients and families, according to the curriculum of the bachelor's degree in nursing. Data were collected using the Communication Skills Questionnaire and Communication Skills Attitude Scale and analysed using IBM® SPSS® Statistics 22.0. The findings showed that, after the implementation of COMFORT communication model, there was a statistically significant difference in communication skills between the intervention group (122.95±9.36) and the control group (110.1±8.92). There was also a significant difference in attitudes toward communication skills between the intervention group (90.25±8.86) and the control group (90.85±9.15) (P=0.0001). The findings of the study revealed that the COMFORT Communication model created significant statistical differences in the student's attitude, knowledge and communication skills. Novice nurses sometimes struggle with the level of communication skills needed when caring for patients with an end-stage illness. The implementation of the COMFORT communication model significantly improved communication skills and attitudes toward communication. Due to the need to establish effective communication as the core of nursing practice, the implementation of this training programme is recommended for students and qualified nurses, particularly when providing palliative care.

Sanat Temelli Özel Çalışma Modülü: Tıp Öğrencilerinin Görsel Düşünme ve İletişim Becerilerinin Geliştirilmesi

Aim: Visual arts have been incorporated into medical education in different ways. The arts have been successfull in enhancing tolerance for ambiguity, fostering, empathy, and holistic views of medical students of all levels. Physical examination is a fundamental part of clinical diagnosis. A proper observation can provide critical information for the diagnostic evaluation and accuracy of treatment. The Special Study Module (SSM) is an educational method in which students are given the opportunity to study, research, and have experience in their own areas of interest. This training method places emphasis on changing students' attitudes towards self-learning techniques and other skills such as teamwork, problem solving, observation, communication, and presentation. In this study, we aimed to investigate the relationship between art and the skills to be a good physician, such as the development of observational skills in medical education. Methods: This is a survey-based prospective study. Second-year medical students enrolled in the "Medicine and Art History" Special Study Module (SSM), were included in the study. Demographic data was collected. Before and after the SSM period (24 weeks), students completed a survey on the impact of art on medical education. Groningen Reflection Ability Scale (GRAS) and Communication Skills Attitude Scale (CSAS) were administered. Data were analyzed using the statistical program SPSS v.22. Results: While the total GRAS score was 75 before the SSM, it increased to 79 after the SSM. The rate of students who completely agreed with the statement "I must have good communication skills to be a good doctor" was 50% before the SSM, and it increased to 80% after the SSM. Before the SSM, 80% of the students stated that they did not use art regularly to learn medical concepts, 20% stated that they were undecided. After the SSM, 60% of the students stated that they would use art regularly to learn medical concepts. Conclusions: In conclusion, the results of this innovative study are encouraging. All students considered art to be a valuable tool to learn medicine. Art-based medical education contributed significantly to students' communication skills, and observation skills when the pre- and post-module surveys were compared. Reflection ability and observational skills are essential in providing professional collaboration and working in a team. We believe that art can help medical students to become better clinical observers and improve personal and professional development as well as to be an empathetic person.

Relationships between undergraduate medical students' attitudes toward communication skills learning and demographics in Zambia: a survey-based descriptive study.

This study aimed to detect relationships between undergraduate students' attitudes toward communication skills learning and demographic variables (such as age, academic year, and gender). Understanding these relationships could provide information for communication skills facilitators and curriculum planners on structuring course delivery and integrating communication skills training into the medical curriculum. The descriptive study involved a survey of 369 undergraduate students from 2 medical schools in Zambia who participated in communication skills training stratified by academic year using the Communication Skills Attitude Scale. Data were collected between October and December 2021 and analyzed using IBM SPSS for Windows version 28.0. One-way analysis of variance revealed a significant difference in attitude between at least 5 academic years. There was a significant difference in attitudes between the 2nd and 5th academic years (t=5.95, P˂0.001). No significant difference in attitudes existed among the academic years on the negative subscale; the 2nd and 3rd (t=3.82, P=0.004), 4th (t=3.61, P=0.011), 5th (t=8.36, P˂0.001), and 6th (t=4.20, P=0.001) academic years showed significant differences on the positive subscale. Age showed no correlation with attitudes. There was a more favorable attitude to learning communication skills among the women participants than among the men participants (P=0.006). Despite positive general attitudes toward learning communication skills, the difference in attitude between the genders, academic years 2 and 5, and the subsequent classes suggest a re-evaluation of the curriculum and teaching methods to facilitate appropriate course structure according to the academic years and a learning process that addressees gender differences.

A Cross sectional study on Students’ Attitude towards Communication Pharmacology in Medical Education

Abstract Background: Effective communication between doctor-patient is essential to provide high-quality health care. The introduction of communication skills is a promising step at an undergraduate level by National Medical Commission (NMC) that improve students’ attitude towards patient care. Objectives: The study objective was to assess the student’s attitude and their perception towards learning communication skills. Methods: A total of 122 students participated in the study who were pursuing second-year MBBS in a Medical college located in Telangana State. A Questionnaire related to attitude towards Communication Pharmacology (Communication Skills Attitude Scale), their interest in the topic of choice and reason for their interest in communication pharmacology was given. Using the Likert scale, scores were given ranging from 13 to 65 and the median values of responses were taken for positive and negative attitudes. Results: The study results showed that the median value of positive response for girls was 56 and for boys was 52 whereas for a negative response was 25 and 27 respectively. There was no significant (p&gt;0.05) difference was observed in the tested groups. The majority of the students opted for empathy-related communication skills as their interest (30.33%) and opined that it will help to build future communication skills (31.33%). Conclusion: It was concluded that students have a more positive attitude towards communication pharmacology and girls have shown more interest in these types of skills.

A Survey of Students' Attitudes and Comments about Needed Changes in Communication Skills Learning in Zambia: A Descriptive Study

Introduction: Challenges abound in 21st-century medical education due to the rapidly changing health, technological, socio-political, and economic social milieus, implying the need for a health force that can traverse the complexities of modern society. To meet the demands of the complex and interconnected modern world, medical education is on the tangent to producing doctors competent in the art and science of medicine through the mastery of interpersonal, communication, and clinical skills. Training in communication skills has become a component of undergraduate medical training in many nations. Students’ attitudes to learning influence their interest, self-reflexivity, and mastery of concepts and skills. This study sought to determine the attitudes of undergraduate medical students in Zambia regarding their experiences of communication skills learning. Methods: Undergraduate students from two medical schools in Zambia who participated in communication skills training completed the Communication Skills Attitude Scale (CSAS) and a demographic questionnaire. The quantitative observational design used the SPSS software to facilitate the computation of the descriptive statistics on the mean scores and standard deviations of the CSAS global, subscales, and individual-items scores. Cronbach’s alpha and confirmatory factor analysis confirmed the reliability and validity of the measure and dataset. Results: There was a 96.1% response rate to the distributed questionnaires. The global mean score was 103.6, 55.5 on the positive attitude subscale, and 48.0 on the negative subscale. The students’ comments highlighted teaching-learning methods, course length, and timing as issues of concern. Conclusion: Despite the favourable disposition of undergraduate medical students in Zambia toward learning communication skills, teaching methods, course timing, and length hinder knowledge and skills transfer.

Using Fictional Medical Television Programs to Teach Interprofessional Communication to Graduating Fourth-Year Medical Students.

Effective interprofessional (IP) communication is crucial to high-quality patient care, but significant obstacles remain regarding implementing IP communication curricula for undergraduate medical students. As such, as part of a bootcamp required for University of Pittsburgh graduating medical students in 2021, we developed and evaluated a workshop using clips from medical television shows (eg, ER) to teach IP communication skills. The workshop was hosted on Zoom videoconferencing software and evaluated using pre- and postcurricular surveys that included adapted Communication Skills Attitude Scale (CSAS) and Student Perceptions of Interprofessional Clinical Education-Revised (SPICE-R) instruments. The postcurricular survey also included two open-ended items. We used Wilcoxon signed-rank tests to compare pre- and postcurricular CSAS and SPICE-R scores and used thematic analysis for qualitative data. Approximately 94% (n = 105) of assigned students attended the workshop. Comparison of pre- and postcurricular means for all CSAS and SPICE-R items indicated improvements in attitudes toward communication training and IP communication, with statistically significant (P < 0.05) changes for 4 of 10 (40%) CSAS items and 8 of 10 (80%) SPICE-R items. Thematic analysis of open-ended items suggests that the workshop is acceptable to students and may be efficacious at improving both their IP communication skills and skills related to addressing equity and bias. Results suggest that using clips from fictional medical television programs may be a valuable approach to teaching graduating medical students IP communication skills. Future research could examine whether improved attitudes are sustained over time and the influence of the workshop on clinical IP communication behavior.

Effects of a teaching mode combining SimBaby with standardized patients on medical students’ attitudes toward communication skills

ObjectiveTo evaluate the effect of a teaching mode combining SimBaby with standardized patients (SP) on medical students’ attitudes toward communication skills (CS).MethodsForty 8-year medical program students majoring in clinical medicine were randomly divided into the SimBaby group (n = 20) and the SP + SimBaby group (n = 20). The Communication Skills Attitude Scale (CSAS) was used to evaluate medical students’ attitudes toward CS learning.ResultsIn the SimBaby and SP + SimBaby groups, there were no statistically significant differences in the Positive Attitude Subscale (PAS) and Negative Attitude Subscale (NAS) scores between males and females (p > 0.05). Compared to the SimBaby group, the SP + SimBaby group showed statistically significant differences in PAS, NAS, and the two dimensions of importance in medical context and learning (p < 0.05). There were no statistically significant differences between groups in the dimensions of excusing and overconfidence (p > 0.05).ConclusionCompared with SimBaby alone, the SP + SimBaby teaching mode can improve medical students’ attitude toward CS learning, suggesting that the organic integration of multiple simulation-based medical teaching methods plays an important role in the acquisition of CS.

Communication Skills (CS) training of physicians in China and its role in actual challenges of patient-physician relationship: a cross-sectional survey

BackgroundThe Chinese healthcare system is affected by frequent disputes between physicians and patients. Although recent reforms have contributed towards improving the patient-physician relationship, distrust in physicians is still high. Communication skills (CS) training of physicians holds the key to improving patient confidence and diffusing stressful situations. This survey reports on the status of CS training in medical education in China, and the experiences and attitudes of physicians towards CS training.MethodsA cross-sectional survey was conducted at medical institutions across China. A questionnaire developed for this study included the status of CS training, current aspects of patient-physician relationships, perceived own CS and patient-centeredness with Likert-scaled items from 1 (most negative) to 6 (most positive). Physicians’ attitude towards CS training was measured with the Communication Skills Attitude Scale (CSAS) and its subscales PAS (Positive Attitude Scale) and NAS (Negative Attitude Scale). Data were analyzed descriptively and for group differences between the hospital level and operating vs. non-operating physicians. Binary logistic regression analysis was done to find associations explaining the occurrence of verbal and physical attacks and the role of CS attitudes.ResultsOut of 1080 questionnaires, 772 physicians met inclusion criteria. A total of 466/772 participants (60.4%) had received at least one CS training during their career. The participants rated the current situation related to patient-physician relationship in China as highly stressful (mean = 4.52, SD = 1.26, 95% CI: 4.43–4.60), experiencing verbal attacks in the past three years once a year in 372/772 cases (48.2%) and physical attacks 111/772 times (14.4%). The mean PAS was 62.96 (SD = 7.63, 95% CI: 62.41–63.47). Being female was associated with increased risk of verbal attacks (OR = 1.51, 95% CI: 1.01–2.25) while working in a tertiary hospital and showing high levels of PAS decreased this risk (OR = 0.62, 95% CI: 0.43–0.89, and OR = 0.95, 95% CI: 0.93–0.98). Having received a previous CS training decreased the odds of physical attacks (OR = 0.54, 95% CI: 0.35–0.83).ConclusionsA majority of Chinese physicians showed a high positive attitude towards CS training, were trained in CS and would value further training. Our results highlight that CS training is likely to promote patient-centered communication and reduce attacks against physicians. Both of these effects are to improve the patient-physician-relationship in the long run. More CS training should be offered to Chinese physicians, especially at secondary- and primary-care hospitals, where such practices remain infrequent.

Problem-Solving and Communication Skills of Undergraduate Nursing Students

Background: Problem-solving and effective communication are essential skills for daily nursing duties. Despite several studies highlighting those concepts, few examined the relationship between these concepts among nursing students. This study aimed to investigate undergraduate nursing students' problem-solving and communication skills. Methods: A cross-sectional correlational design was used. A sizeable convenient sample of 489 undergraduate nursing students was recruited from six nursing schools in Jordan. Data were collected using an online self-administered survey. The Arabic version of the Problem-Solving Inventory and a translated version of the Communication Skills Attitude Scale were used. Descriptive statistics and multiple linear regression were used to analyze the data. Results: The sample included 64.4% females. The mean total score of the problem-solving scale was 96.63 (SD=16.99). Gender, considering self as an initiative person, and negative attitude toward communication were significant negative predictors, while positive attitude toward communication was a positive predictor of nursing students' problem-solving skills. Implications: Educational programs that improve nursing students' attitudes toward communication and mental health courses that focus on positive personality traits are needed to improve nursing students' problem-solving skills. Conclusion: The results indicated a moderate level of problem-solving skills, a high level of positive attitudes toward communication skills, and a low level of negative attitudes toward communication skills among undergraduate nursing students.

Perceiving the Role of Communication Skills as a Bridge between the Perception of Spiritual Care and Acceptance of Evidence-Based Nursing Practice-Empirical Model.

Decision making using evidence-based practice (EBP) is generally universally accepted by nurses. Such acceptance may affect the personnel’s behaviour towards patients, which is also demonstrated by taking into consideration the patient’s preferences, including the patient’s spiritual needs, in the care plan. The provision of such care requires the development of an attitude of approval and an adequate level of communicative competence, which will enable the actual implementation of the EBP. The purpose of our study was to assess the perception of spirituality and the nurse’s role in providing spiritual care, as well as the perception of the significance of communication skills in the approval of EBP in professional practice. A multi-centre cross-section study was conducted on a population of 1176 participants (459 undergraduate (bachelor’s programme, BP) and 717 postgraduate students (master’s programme, MP)) from 10 medical universities in Poland. Three tools were used in the study to evaluate the participants’ approach: Evidence-Based Practice Competence Questionnaire (EBP-COQ), The Spirituality and Spiritual Care Rating Scale (SSCRS), and Communication Skills Attitude Scale (CSAS). Structural equation modelling was used for the analysis. An analysis of structural equations revealed the presence of positive relationships of the attitude to spiritual care and the role of communicative competences with the approach to EBP regardless of the cohort. A significant difference was found related to the influence of age on the attitude towards learning communicative competences. The approval in this respect was observed to decrease with age in the MP group. Increasing approval of EBP requires strengthening the approach to activity-centred spiritual care, with the simultaneous development of a positive attitude towards learning communicative competences. The model reveals the need to integrate a humanistic approach with EBP, which can be achieved by planning different interventions in different groups of recipients: nurses, academic teachers and students.

English

BACKGROUND Communication plays a crucial role in the present era of medical litigations and hospital attacks. A good doctor has to be a good communicator. 80 % of medical errors are due to communication failure as reported in a study. The need for improving the medical communication skills of health professionals is getting recognized. The use of structured programme of effective and formal communication skills training is the need of the hour. In order to improve communication skills, Medical council of India (MCI) has launched the ATECOM (attitude, ethics and communication) module in the MBBS curriculum from 2019. The purpose of this study was to assess the attitude of medical students towards learning communication skills. METHODS A total of 447 students from 7 batches were enrolled in the study. All students were asked to fill up the communication skills attitude scale (CSAS) questionnaire which consists of 13 positive attitude questions and 13 negative attitude questions which was scored in Likert’s scale. The data was analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). RESULTS There were a total of 447 students, of which 128 were males and 319 were females. The mean total score for positive attitude was 54.19 (SD - 5.99) and the mean score for negative attitude was 33.42 (SD - 5.27). The mean positive attitude score was more for females (54.61; SD - 5.82) than males (53.15; SD - 6.28) and the difference was statistically significant. The female students had a lesser mean negative attitude score compared to males. Batch wise analysis was done using analysis of variance (ANOVA). The P value for total positive score between batches was 0.001 and for total negative score was 0.28. CONCLUSION The study showed an overall positive attitude to learning communication skills with girls showing a more positive attitude and less negative attitude than boys. KEY WORDS Attitude, Communication skills, Medical Students, Competency

Medical students' attitudes towards communication skills training: a longitudinal study with one cohort.

Objectives: To explore medical students’ attitudes towards communication skills and the evolution of these attitudes from their first to fourth academic years. Methods: A cohort of 91 medical students completed the Communication Skills Attitudes Scale (CSAS) at the beginning of their medical studies and at the end of their fourth year after having engaged in a training program in communication skills with experiential characteristics (individual encounters with simulated patients, observations in small groups, feedback, and practice). We analyzed students’ positive and negative global attitudes and their affective, cognitive, and respect dimensions towards learning communication skills.Results: Medical students’ attitudes toward communication skills declined from their first (52.8) to fourth year (49.6) (p=.011). Along with this significant decrease in positive attitudes, a significant increase in negative attitudes toward communication skills was also observed in trained students (32.2 vs. 34.2; p=.023). The decline in students’ attitudes mainly involves a decline in their affective (51.4 vs. 47.3, p=.001) but not cognitive (18.3) attitudes. Female students have more positive attitudes towards communication skills than male students. Conclusions: The decline in students’ attitudes, mainly in the affective dimension, could be related to their accumulated learning experiences during the learning process and particularly their experiential training in communication skills. Nevertheless, the importance students give to communication skills in the cognitive dimension remains unchanged. Students’ gender also seems to influence their attitudes. Further research is needed to assess the role of other factors involved in this decrease in positive and affective attitudes.

Determine the Attitude of Dental Students for Learning Communication Skills at Undergraduate Level

Objective: To assess the attitude of dental students for learning communication skills at undergraduate level.Methods: A research based on cross-sectional comparative study design was conducted on final year BDS students at two reknowned dental colleges of Karachi naming Fatima Jinnah Dental College and Liaquat College of Medicine and Dentistry. Approval was taken from the principals of both dental colleges as well as from Ethical Review Board (ERB). The duration of the study took place from March-May 20. Inclusion were the final year dental students from both colleges.A validated questionnaire 'Communication Skills Attitudes Scale (CSAS)' was used for data collection. SPSS version 23 was used to analyse data. Mean and SD was computed for numeric variables and frequency and percentage was computed for categorical variables. Independent t-test was used to assess the significant difference with respect to gender.Results: 144 students participated in the study. Out of which 42 (28.97%) were males and 103 females (71.03%). The mean age of the students was 21.91 ± 1.03 years. The mean and standard deviation of the positive attitude score was 3.84 and 0.59 whereas of negative attitude score was 2.55 and 0.43. Both male and females had a high score of positive attitudes as compared to negative attitude similarly females had a high score of positive attitudes as compared to negative attitudes. There were no statistically significant differences observed in positive and negative attitudes of males and females (p&gt;0.05).Conclusion: Both male and female students showed a positive attitude towards learning effective communication skills. Therefore, it has become a dire need for the students to acquire communication skills for improving doctor-patient relations and improving dental healthcare. Policy makers should consider including communication skills in the curriculum as part of formal education.

EARLY EXPOSING PRECLINICAL UNDERGRADUATE MEDICAL STUDENTS TO COMMUNICATION-SKILLS: A PRE-TEST POST-TEST EXPERIMENTAL STUDY

Background: Effective physician-patient communication is integral to building confidence, improving patient compliance, satisfaction, and, avoiding mishaps, and, malpractice suits. Communication-skills (CS) training is an internationally accepted essential component of medical education. This study aims to assess the communication-skills knowledge of pre-clinical undergraduate medical students pre- and post- CS course. We expect an improve­ment in CS knowledge post-intervention. Methods: Between March and September 2019, 100 first year pre-clinical undergraduate medical students at Chitwan Medical College were enrolled in CS course. The intervention was conducted in 10 team-based learning (TBL) sessions on selective study areas based on Calgary-Cambridge model. Attitude towards learning CS using communication skills attitude scale (CSAS) and assess­ment on knowledge of CS was conducted pre- and post-intervention. Results: Among 100 students, 70% were males and 30% females. Positive attitude towards learn­ing CS improved by 5%. Statistically significant progress was noted in post-intervention mean scores implying CS to be teachable and learnable. (Wilcoxon Signed ranks test z=-6.178 p&lt;0.001). Knowledge on medical CS improved in the study participants irrespective of sex, entry-type, past-educational institute or attitude. Students with pre-intervention negative attitude showed marked improvement in post-intervention knowledge score (z=-5.674 p&lt;0.001). Conclusions: The intervention was effective in increasing students’ knowledge of medical CS, but we did not assess the skills of the students. Continuation of this study is recommended to explore whether CS training could actually improve soft skills of medical students in our part of the world.

Empathy and attitude toward communication skill learning as a predictor of patient-centered attitude: a cross-sectional study of dental students in Korea

BackgroundEnhancing medical students’ practice of patient-centered care is a goal of medical schools. In addition to exploring the demographic and academic factors of the students, it is necessary to identify other attitudes and perceptions that may influence the student’s patient-centered attitude and inclination toward communication skill learning. This study aimed to assess patient-centered attitudes among dental students in Korea and identify the association between the students’ characteristics and empathy, communication skill learning attitude, and patient-centered attitude.MethodsData were collected via a cross-sectional online survey, and 312 dental students were included in the analyses. The study participants completed the Patient–Practitioner Orientation Scale (PPOS), the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI), and the Communication Skills Attitude Scale (CSAS). Analyses were performed using independent samples’ t-tests, hierarchical multi-variable regression, and ANOVA with a post-hoc Tukey test.ResultsThe students tend to be moderately patient-oriented toward the sharing subscale of PPOS score (M = 3.78, standard deviation [SD] = 0.54) and slightly more patient-centered toward the caring subscale of PPOS score (M = 4.41, SD = 0.52) of patient-centered attitudes. Being a female and a shorter academic period in dentistry were associated with attitudes toward patient-centered care. Empathy and positive attitude toward learning communication skills were also related to a patient-centered attitude, and among aspects of empathy, “empathic concern” had the greatest significant impact on patient-centered attitude.ConclusionsGender, academic period, empathy, and attitudes on learning communication skills were important influencing factors of patient-centered attitudes. Patient-centered attitude can and must be taught. Education programs should focus on enhancing empathy, emphasizing positive attitudes on learning communication skills, and conducting follow-up educational sessions to prevent students from becoming less patient-centered with an increase in duration of their academic period.