Korean journal of medical education

The Korean Society of Medical Education (한국의학교육학회)
권호 표지
DOI QR코드

DOI QR Code

Effects of medical communication curriculum on perceptions of Korean medical school students

  • Yoo, Hyo Hyun (Department of Medical Education, Chonbuk National University School of Medicine) ;
  • Shin, Sein (Department of Biology Education, Chungbuk National University) ;
  • Lee, Jun-Ki (Division of Science Education, Chonbuk National University College of Education)
  • Received : 2017.11.21
  • Accepted : 2018.08.06
  • Published : 2018.12.01
⟨ Previous Next ⟩

Abstract

Purpose: The study examines changes in students' self-assessment of their general communication (GC) and medical communication (MC) competencies, as well as perceptions of MC concepts. Methods: Participants included 108 second year medical students enrolled at a Korean medical school studying an MC curriculum. It was divided into three sections, and participants responded to questionnaires before and after completing each section. To assess perceived GC and MC competency, items based on a 7-point Likert scale were employed; a single open-ended item was used to examine students' perceptions of MC. Statistical analysis was conducted to gauge GC and MC competency, whereas semantic network analysis was used to investigate students' perceptions of MC. Results: Students perceived their GC competency to be higher than MC. Perceived MC competency differed significantly across the three sections, whereas no differences were found for GC. There were no statistically significant differences after completing the curriculum's second and third sections; however, the vocabulary students used to describe MC concepts became more scholarly and professional. In the semantic networks, the link structure between MC-related words decreased in linearity and looseness, becoming more complex and clustered. The words 'information' and 'transfer' proved integral to students' perceptions; likewise, 'empathy' and 'communication' became closely connected in a single community from two independent communities. Conclusion: This study differed from prior research by conducting an in-depth analysis of changes in students' perceptions of MC, and its findings can be used to guide curriculum development.

Keywords

References

  1. Zolnierek KB, Dimatteo MR. Physician communication and patient adherence to treatment: a meta-analysis. Med Care. 2009;47(8):826-834. https://doi.org/10.1097/MLR.0b013e31819a5acc
  2. Ong LM, de Haes JC, Hoos AM, Lammes FB. Doctorpatient communication: a review of the literature. Soc Sci Med. 1995;40(7):903-918. https://doi.org/10.1016/0277-9536(94)00155-M
  3. Rider EA, Hinrichs MM, Lown BA. A model for communication skills assessment across the undergraduate curriculum. Med Teach. 2006;28(5):e127-e134. https://doi.org/10.1080/01421590600726540
  4. Maguire P, Pitceathly C. Key communication skills and how to acquire them. BMJ. 2002;325(7366):697-700. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.325.7366.697
  5. Makoul G, Schofield T. Communication teaching and assessment in medical education: an international consensus statement. Netherlands Institute of Primary Health Care. Patient Educ Couns. 1999;37(2):191-195. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0738-3991(99)00023-3
  6. Yedidia MJ, Gillespie CC, Kachur E, et al. Effect of communications training on medical student performance. JAMA. 2003;290(9):1157-1165. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.290.9.1157
  7. Winefield HR, Chur-Hansen A. Evaluating the outcome of communication skill teaching for entry-level medical students: does knowledge of empathy increase? Med Educ. 2000;34(2):90-94. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2923.2000.00463.x
  8. Fallowfield L, Jenkins V, Farewell V, Solis-Trapala I. Enduring impact of communication skills training: results of a 12-month follow-up. Br J Cancer. 2003;89(8):1445-1449. https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.bjc.6601309
  9. Association of American Medical Colleges. Contemporary issues in medicine: communication in medicine. Washington, USA: Association of American Medical Colleges; 1999.
  10. Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education. ACGME outcome project. http://www.acgme.org/outcome.Published 2009. Accessed December 3, 2015.
  11. Frank JR, Jabbour M, Tugwell P, Boyd D, Labrosse J, MacFadyen J. Skills for the new millennium: report of the societal needs working group, CanMEDS 2000 Project. Ann R Coll Physicians Surg Can. 1996;29(4):206-216.
  12. Bak YI, Park EW. Problems of the curriculum for the improvement of the medical communication in Korean medical schools. Korean J Health Commun. 2009;4(4):34-42.
  13. Park EW. Development of medical communication subject in medical school curriculum. Korean J Health Commun. 2009;4(4):23-33.
  14. Kurtz S, Silverman J, Draper J. Specific issues of communication curriculum design at different levels of medical education. In: Kurtz S, Silverman J, Draper J, eds. Teaching and Learning Communication Skills in Medicine. 2nd ed. Oxford, UK: Radcliffe Publishing;2005:233-251.
  15. Yoo HH, Kim JS. The development and effects of a medical communication skills program for medical school students. Korean J Med Educ. 2014;26(3):189-195. https://doi.org/10.3946/kjme.2014.26.3.189
  16. Hammer D. Misconceptions or p-prims: how may alternative perspectives of cognitive structure influence instructional perceptions and intentions. J Learn Sci. 1996;5(2):97-127. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327809jls0502_1
  17. Limon M. On the cognitive conflict as an instructional strategy for conceptual change: a critical appraisal. Learn Instr. 2001;11(4-5):357-380. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0959-4752(00)00037-2
  18. Han HH, Kim S. Trends of communication skills education in medical schools. Korean J Med Educ. 2009;21(1):35-41. https://doi.org/10.3946/kjme.2009.21.1.35
  19. DiSessa AA. A bird's-eye view of the 'pieces' vs. 'coherence' controversy. In: Vosniadou S, ed. International Handbook of Research on Conceptual Change. 2nd ed. New York, USA: Routledge; 2008:35-60.
  20. Gloor P, Diesner J. Semantic social networks. In: Alhajj R, Rokne J, eds. Encyclopedia of Social Network Analysis and Mining. New York, USA: Springer; 2014:1654-1659.
  21. Peters-Burton E, Baynard LR. Network analysis of beliefs about the scientific enterprise: a comparison of scientists, middle school science teachers and eighth-grade science students. Int J Sci Educ. 2013;35(16):2801-2837. https://doi.org/10.1080/09500693.2012.662609
  22. Kang GJ, Ewing-Nelson SR, Mackey L, et al. Semantic network analysis of vaccine sentiment in online social media. Vaccine. 2017;35(29):3621-3638. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vaccine.2017.05.052
  23. Park HW, Leydesdorff L. Understanding the KrKwic: a computer program for the analysis of Korean text. J Korean Data Anal Soc. 2004;6(5):1377-1387.
  24. Klass D. The bedrock of clinical encounters. CPSO Memb Dialogue. 2001;(Sep/Oct):11-12.
  25. Jung JW, Lee YM, Kim BS, Ahn D. Analysis of the perceived effectiveness and learning experience of medical communication skills training in interns. Korean J Med Educ. 2010;22(1):33-45. https://doi.org/10.3946/kjme.2010.22.1.33
  26. Grant VJ, Hawken SJ. What do they think of it now?: medical graduates' views of earlier training in communication skills. Med Teach. 2000;22(3):260-264. https://doi.org/10.1080/01421590050006223
  27. Haq C, Steele DJ, Marchand L, Seibert C, Brody D. Integrating the art and science of medical practice: innovations in teaching medical communication skills. Fam Med. 2004;36 Suppl:S43-S50.
  28. McWhinney I. The need for a transformed clinical method. In: Stewart M, Roter D, eds. Communicating with Medical Patients. London, UK: Sage; 1989:25-40.