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Asian Journal of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences | Volume 8
March 26-27, 2018 | Orlando, USA
World Summit on
Healthcare & Hospital Management
&
International Conference & Exhibition on
Biologics and Biosimilars
I
mproved physician-patient relationship is an integral part of
medical practice. When treating patients, physicians need
to fulfill various roles in their daily clinical activities such as
educators, counselors, advocates, andmany other interpersonal
tasks. In order to succeed in these roles, physicians must be
excellent communicators. Physicians develop many skill sets
during undergraduate medical education. This study focuses on
effective methods to enhance medical students’ interpersonal
and communication skills through small group activities. The
various small group activities in the first and second years of
the medical curriculum include Problem-Based learning (PBL),
Inquiry (IQ) Cases, Student-Led Inquiry (SLIQ) Cases, Clinical
Skills, Science of Clinical Practice and Clinical Learning Group.
Eight students are assigned to each group and an experienced
facilitator is assigned to facilitate the activities. Prior to the
beginning of the activities, facilitators are required to attend
faculty development sessions. In addition, facilitators meet
weekly with course directors to discuss student progress
and concerns. Several methods are used to assess students’
interpersonal and communication skills in these small group
activities. Some of the assessment methods are verbal peer
feedback at the end of each session, mid-block and final
facilitator narrative feedback, narrative self-assessment and
narrative peer feedback. Since students receive vigorous
training on interpersonal and communication skills and are
assessed numerous times in the first two years of the medical
curriculum, the number of students with inappropriate
interpersonal and communication skills in the clinical year (3
rd
)
is extremely minimal. The small group activities give students
an effective platform to enhance their interpersonal and
communication skills, which are critical for practicing physicians
in the contemporary health care system.
Speaker Biography
Gimol Thomas George, a Harvard Macy Scholar, is currently employed at the Charles
E. Schmidt College of Medicine (CoM), Florida Atlantic University (FAU) as an Assistant
Professor of Integrated Medical Science and the Director of Program Evaluation and
Assessment. Prior to joining FAU CoM, she worked at Nova Southeastern University
College of Dental Medicine as the Director of Assessment & Educational Specialist as
well as the Director for Effective Teaching, Learning and Assessment Methodology
course in the Postdoctoral Program. She has been affiliated with several universities
in various capacities, including serving as a Ph.D. Thesis Advisor/Examiner. During her
academic career, she earned a Doctoral Degree in Education with a specialty in Human
Resources Development. She has been published internationally and has received
various awards and recognitions for her contributions in academia.
e:
georgeg@health.fau.eduGimol Thomas George
Florida Atlantic University, USA
Improving physician-patient relationship by enhancing medical students’
interpersonal and communication skills through small group activities