Communications 3 Credits/Maximum of 3

Catalog description

This 12 week course during the second year of Phase I focuses on the application of verbal, nonverbal, and written communication skills in the context of patient care, team dynamics, and leadership. Communication builds on theoretical framework for communication skills presented in earlier humanities courses to help students construct a practical toolbox of skills as well as the opportunity for the application and rehearsal of skills in realistic patient-care related scenarios. There is heavy emphasis on selfreflection and self-assessment in order to provide students with the skills necessary to improve their communication skills lifelong. During the course, students will progress through four modules: 1) Self, which focuses on self-assessment of internal bias, assumptions, and values, and how these individual characteristics impact the way we communicate as providers and team members, 2) Dyads, which is the most intensive portion of the course, and focuses on specific skills such as techniques for establishing rapport, nonverbal communication, silence, listening, asking/questions, and framing statements, 3) Teams, which expands the techniques and insights learned during modules 1 and 2 for application in scenarios involving interprofessional teams and families, and 4) Systems, which focuses on the role of good communication within a healthcare system, including a session on communication skills of effective leaders, and a case study that explores the impact of a patient-related communication breakdown on a health care institution. Each session may involve pre-reading, and will begin with a short large-group interactive session related to the day's topic. The majority of each session will be devoted to small group workshops facilitated by trained faculty during which students can apply skills to a standardized patient care scenario. Evaluation methods are detailed below. The course will be offered once annually during Phase I of the Undergraduate Medical education Curriculum.