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Medical Student Communication Skills and Specialty Choice

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Abstract

Objective

The aim of this study was to determine if communication skills differ for medical students entering person or technique-oriented specialties.

Methods

Communication ratings by clerkship preceptors on an institutionally required end of clerkship medical student performance evaluation (SPE) form were compiled for 2011/2012 academic year (Class of 2013). M3 clerkships and the Class of 2013 match appointments were categorized as person or technique-oriented clerkships/specialties. Mean differences in SPE communication scores were determined by analyses of variance (ANOVA) and independent t tests. Score associations were determined by Pearson correlations. Inter-item reliability was reported with Cronbach alpha.

Results

The Class of 2013 match appointments were as follows: person-oriented (N = 91) and technique-oriented (N = 91) residency specialties. There was no significant difference in mean communication scores for medical students who entered person-oriented (mean 7.8, SD 0.4) versus technique-oriented (mean 7.9, SD 0.4) specialties (p = 0.258) or for person-oriented clerkship (mean 7.8, SD 0.4) versus technique-oriented clerkship (mean 7.9, SD 0.6) ratings for medical students who matched into person-oriented specialties (p = 0.124). Medical students who matched into technique-oriented specialties (mean 8.1, SD 0.5) received significantly higher (p = 0.001) communication ratings as compared with those matching into person-oriented specialties (mean 7.8, SD 0.5) from technique-oriented clerkships.

Conclusions

Communication with patients and families is a complex constellation of specific abilities that appear to be influenced by the rater’s specialty. Further study is needed to determine if technique-oriented specialties communication skill rating criteria differ from those used by raters from person-oriented specialties.

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Disclosure

The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA

    Carol I. Ping Tsao & Robert Treat

  2. University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA

    Deborah Simpson

Authors
  1. Carol I. Ping Tsao
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  2. Deborah Simpson
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  3. Robert Treat
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Correspondence to Carol I. Ping Tsao.

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Ping Tsao, C.I., Simpson, D. & Treat, R. Medical Student Communication Skills and Specialty Choice. Acad Psychiatry 39, 275–279 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40596-014-0165-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40596-014-0165-0

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