[Communication skills in the encounter with patients--current examination subject for medical students. Beneficial educational investment].

A continuous and structured training in communication skills for medical students still has a comparatively low priority in the curriculum of Swedish medical schools. A recent American study has demonstrated the value of incorporating such training programs during the early phase of medical studies. The effect of this reported intervention program was evaluated with objective structured clinical examination (OSCE). Significantly higher satisfaction in the medical encounter was documented among patients who met students trained in patient centeredness than among those who met students randomised to a control group. Thus, communication training for medical students improves specific competencies known to affect outcome of care. We report our experience with a similar model of a communication-training program during the first four semesters, with examination at the end of the program, which has been part of the pre-clinical curriculum since 1998 at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden.

RCT Entities:   Population Interventions Outcomes