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Communication Skills Training of Physicians in Portugal

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New Challenges in Communication with Cancer Patients

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Abstract

Communication skills training for oncologists and cancer physicians in Portugal has received little attention in the past. Only more recently the interest for the skills of communication and the possibility of its training has raised attention in the medical community. GPs have shown more interest in this area and have included it in their residency activities. Some initiatives on Doctor–Patient Communication and Relationship skills targeting medical students and medical professionals have been conducted at the university level for undergraduate and postgraduate level as well as by professional societies in cancer care. The Pilot Program on Communication Skills Training for cancer physicians under the umbrella of the National Coordination for Oncological Diseases is presented. The need for including CST in educational programs for medical doctors and clinical professions is discussed, as well as opportunities for change.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    1  The Southern European Psycho-oncology Study (SEPOS), a large project entitled “Improving health staff’s communication and assessment skills of psychosocial morbidity and quality of life in cancer patients: a study in Southern European countries,” has been funded by the European Community (Agreement SI2.307317 2000CVGG2-026—between the European Commission and the University of Ferrara) coordinated by L. Grassi, University of Ferrara, Italy, having L. Travado from Portugal and F. Gil from Spain as main partners.

  2. 2.

    2  Some video clips of the DVD are accessible online at the MDACC—I*CARE Program website at: http://www.mdanderson.org/education-and-research/resources-for-professionals/professional-educational-resources/i-care/teaching-and-learning-communication-skills/communication-­relationship-skills-health-professionals.html (last accessed March 28, 2011).

  3. 3.

    3  This project and program entitled “Organization and development of Palliative care at Hospital S. José”, in Lisbon was supported by a grant of the Gulbenkian Foundation in Portugal (2003–2007) (http://www.gulbenkian.pt), which the author, who has written the application and was responsible for its implementation, would like to acknowledge and thank.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Clinical Psychology Unit, Central Lisbon Hospital Centre, Hospital de S. José, Rua José António Serrano, 1150-199, Lisboa, Portugal

    Luzia Travado

Authors
  1. Luzia Travado
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Correspondence to Luzia Travado .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. , Department of Medicine, New York University Medical School, First Avenue 530, New York, 10016, USA

    Antonella Surbone

  2. Institute of Oncology, Zaloška 2, Ljubljana, 1000, Slovenia

    Matjaž Zwitter

  3. Institute of Oncology, Zaloška 2, Ljubljana, 1000, Ljubljana-Center, Slovenia

    Mirjana Rajer

  4. 38th Street 2838, Astoria, 11103, New York, USA

    Richard Stiefel

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Travado, L. (2013). Communication Skills Training of Physicians in Portugal. In: Surbone, A., Zwitter, M., Rajer, M., Stiefel, R. (eds) New Challenges in Communication with Cancer Patients. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-3369-9_25

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-3369-9_25

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