Teaching patient communication skills to medical students: a review of randomized controlled trials.

Full Abstract

Tools to examine the effects of teaching interventions across a variety of studies are needed. The authors perform a meta-analysis of 24 randomized controlled trials evaluating the effects of teaching on medical students' patient communication skills. Study quality is rated using a modified Jadad score, and standardized mean difference effect size (d) measures are calculated. Fifteen of 24 studies have sufficient data for analysis. Students' ability to establish rapport improves after teaching. The effects are large when the teaching intervention was small group discussion (n = 5) or giving structured feedback on a student-patient interview (n = 6). A similar effect of teaching is seen on student data gathering skills (n = 5). Teaching medical students patient communication skills using small group discussion or providing feedback on a student-patient interview results in improvement in student performance.

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Author information

Author/s: Smith, Sherilyn (S); Hanson, Janice L (JL); Tewksbury, Linda R (LR); Christy, Cynthia (C); Talib, Nasreen J (NJ); Harris, Mitchell A (MA); Beck, Gary L (GL); Wolf, Fredric M (FM);

Affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Box 356320, Seattle, WA 98195, USA.

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Meta-Analysis; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Journal: Evaluation & the health professions (Eval Health Prof), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2007-Mar; vol 30 (issue 1) : pp 3-21

Dates: Created 2007/02/12; Completed 2007/03/13; Revised 2007/11/15;

PMID: 17293605, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 12/26/2008)

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Communication
Feedback
Humans
Patient Education as Topic - methods

Physician-Patient Relations
Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
Students, Medical
Teaching - methods

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