Submission ID 78137
| Code | OD-5-2 |
|---|---|
| At the end of this workshop, participants will be able to: | |
| Category | Medical Education |
| Type | Oral |
| Will the presenter be a: | Graduate Student |
| Title | Integrating the Basic Science of Communication Into Communication Training |
| Background/Purpose | Health professionals must be excellent communicators, navigating a complex and dynamic interaction of high stakes, emotional situations. Excellent communication in healthcare requires adaptive expertise, to navigate novel and complex patient interactions. Integration of basic sciences with clinical knowledge supports the development of adaptive expertise, and we theorise a similar approach may support adaptive expertise for communication. Our 2022 publication identified 6 conceptual groupings representing the basic science of patient-physician communication. The current study explored how that basic science manifests within communication skills training. |
| Methods | Our mixed-methods approach analysed online health professions communication training across Canada. Our quantitative analysis used corpus-based linguistic methods to identify key communication-oriented words and phrases within the texts. Our qualitative phase implemented a framework analysis using our previously established conceptual groupings as an interpretive lens. |
| Results | Constructs from all 6 conceptual groupings appeared across training documents. Clarity and patient activation were particularly well-represented. However, concepts often lacked critical nuances. For example, the importance of individual capacity in attending to clarity. Further, the texts lacked an acknowledgement of the power imbalance inherent in the patient-practitioner relationship and its impact on communication. |
| Discussion | To utilize theory and conceptual knowledge to improve pedagogy, we need a strong understanding of current educational practices. This work is that first step, bridging theory and practice. Our results highlight the strengths of current communication training and illuminate areas where more in-depth and nuanced understanding of the science of communication would enable learners to develop the adaptive expertise they require to provide the care their patients deserve. |
| Keyword 1 | patient-practitioner communication |
| Keyword 2 | communication skills training |
| Keyword 3 | adaptive expertise |
| Abstract content most relevant to: (check all that apply) | Continuing Professional Development (CPD) (faculty development, CME)
Residency Education |
| Abstract Track - First Choice | Teaching and learning |
| Teaching and Learning | Integrated instruction & learning |
| Authors | Nicole Woods Stella Ng Risa Freeman Paula Rowland Jacquelin Forsey Jacquelin Forsey |
