Camila Franco1, Renato Franco1, Milton Severo2, Maria Amélia Ferreira3. 1. School of Medicine. Pontifical Catholic University of Paraná. Curitiba. Brazil.; Department of Medical Education and Simulation. Faculty of Medicine. University of Porto. Porto. Portugal. 2. Department of Medical Education and Simulation. Faculty of Medicine. University of Porto. Porto. Portugal.; Department of Epidemiology, Predictive Medicine and Public Health. Faculty of Medicine. Porto. Portugal. 3. Department of Medical Education and Simulation. Faculty of Medicine. University of Porto. Porto. Portugal.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: This paper describes and analyses the results of a multicenter course on clinical communication skills with the use of the learning in small groups, patient actors and feedback. The aim of the course was to encourage participants to develop a more effective clinical communication to recognize the different manifestations of the same disease in different patients (disease versus illness). MATERIAL AND METHODS: The course was applied to third and fourth year medical students in three Brazilian universities and one university in Portugal. The evaluation was performed using scales regarding the participants' point of view, multiple choice questionnaire, a self-efficacy and attitudinal questionnaire. RESULTS: The study was conducted in 69 participants at the four universities. The overall evaluation of the course (from 1 - 5) was 4.70 (SD 0.494), the self-evaluation on participation was 4.07 (SD 0.671); and the evaluation about the use of simulated patients 4.51 (SD 0.501). The multiple choice questionnaire and self-efficacy scale showed significant improvement. DISCUSSION: The course methods had an excellent evaluation by students regardless of the context in which the course has been applied. Furthermore, it allowed an improvement on the knowledge and attitude of students regarding clinical communication. CONCLUSION: It was possible to develop a multi-centric learning strategy for clinical communication with a high evaluation by students who came from a Portuguese university in a cooperation project with teachers from Brazilian universities.
INTRODUCTION: This paper describes and analyses the results of a multicenter course on clinical communication skills with the use of the learning in small groups, patient actors and feedback. The aim of the course was to encourage participants to develop a more effective clinical communication to recognize the different manifestations of the same disease in different patients (disease versus illness). MATERIAL AND METHODS: The course was applied to third and fourth year medical students in three Brazilian universities and one university in Portugal. The evaluation was performed using scales regarding the participants' point of view, multiple choice questionnaire, a self-efficacy and attitudinal questionnaire. RESULTS: The study was conducted in 69 participants at the four universities. The overall evaluation of the course (from 1 - 5) was 4.70 (SD 0.494), the self-evaluation on participation was 4.07 (SD 0.671); and the evaluation about the use of simulated patients 4.51 (SD 0.501). The multiple choice questionnaire and self-efficacy scale showed significant improvement. DISCUSSION: The course methods had an excellent evaluation by students regardless of the context in which the course has been applied. Furthermore, it allowed an improvement on the knowledge and attitude of students regarding clinical communication. CONCLUSION: It was possible to develop a multi-centric learning strategy for clinical communication with a high evaluation by students who came from a Portuguese university in a cooperation project with teachers from Brazilian universities.