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The Effectiveness of Medical Communication Skill of Medical Students, through an Emphasis on Role Play

Article information

Kosin Med J. 2012;27(2):151-159
Publication date (electronic) : 2012 December 27
doi : https://doi.org/10.7180/kmj.2012.27.2.151
Ho Seob Lihm1, Heung Yeol Kim2, Jong Soon Choi1
1Department of Family Medicine, College of Medicine, Kosin University, Busan, Korea.
2Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, College of Medicine, Kosin University, Busan, Korea.
Corresponding Author: Jong Soon Choi, Department of Family Medicine, College of Medicine, Kosin University, 34, Amnam-dong, Seo-gu, Busan 602-702, Korea. TEL: +82-51-990-6155, FAX: +82-51-990-3045, fmcjs@naver.com
Received 2012 September 28; Revised 2012 October 26; Accepted 2012 November 14.

Abstract

Objectives

Medical doctors require outstanding communication skills when meeting with their patients. Thus medical student need to education and training about medical communication skill. More attention is being given to the subject but not many studies have been done in the medical education field. As communication skills are provided to students as a subject in medical educational curriculum, the assessment of its effectiveness needs to be undertaken.

Methods

In the year 2010 and 2011, first-year medical students at The Kosin University College of Medicine took 'Communication skills' course in total, 154 first-year medical students survey results was the modified and translated version of 'Beyer-Fetzer's Essential Elements of Communication Skills Assessment Sheet'. The assessment sheets were used as the pre-test and post-test to analyse the differences, which were put through the paired t-test.

Results

All categories of communication skills showed an improvement. For year 2010, a statistically significant difference was shown into the 22 questions, whereas in 2011, improvements were shown in all questions.

Conclusions

From the result, it is clear that in order to create an effective communication skills program, the content should be more structured and focused on the program objectives.

Keywords: Communications skill; Medical student; Pre/post assessment

References

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Article information Continued

Copyright © 2012 Kosin University College of Medicine

Table 1

Communication Skills Self-test Results of Year 2010 & 2011

Table 1

Table 2

Statistics and t-scores of Communication Skills by Category

Table 2

Table 3

Statistics and T-scores of Communication Skills by Items

Table 3

Table 4

Useful contents in learning communication skills

Table 4