Teaching Communication Skills

Dennis Novack, MD, founder of DocCom.org, an online communication skills program for hospitals, residency programs and medical schools, discusses the influence of Dr. George Engel, research about the impact of good communication skills and best practices for teaching communication skills. This is the final episode of the podcast. Host Barbara Lewis can be reached at [email protected].

Mitchell D. Feldman, MD, MPhil, discusses how to mentor trainees to help them find their purpose and reconnect with their reason for entering the profession; the steps for integrating personal and professional life; the Japanese ikigai as a guide; traits of compulsivity and three questions at the end of the day to reconnect with purpose.

Rob Shochet, MD, discusses relationship centered communication strategy, three important skill sets, how to use the computer in the exam room and other communication techniques.

John Christensen, PhD, describes the medical conditions where hypnosis is used and verbal techniques on how to use hypnosis by talking to patients to improve outcomes.

Homa Dost, MD, a surgeon in Afghanistan discusses the challenges in finding joy in her work.

Elizabeth Morrison, LCSW, MAC, discusses the fascinating research on empathy's impact on health outcomes and three important techniques to convey empathy.

Kathy Cole-Kelly, MS, MSSW, discusses how to identify medical students who need communication remediation and the specific steps she undertakes to ensure they pass Step 2 CS.

In about a quarter of all patients seen in a year have in a mental health disorder of depression, substance use or anxiety. Unfortunately, clinicians aren't trained on what to do. Oftentimes, the physical symptoms signal an underlying mental issue. Listen to Bob Smith, MD, talk about the red flag complaints and how treating the mental disorder helps the physical ailment. His episode on patient-centered interviewing is one of the top three downloaded podcasts.

David Pendleton, DPhil, discusses how to sustain trust, how to address a patient when trust is lost and what to do when is trust undermined.

Howard Beckman, MD, discusses why every clinician needs to know the patients' goals, how articulating goals improves outcomes and helps the clinicians and what the research reflects; he encourages people to continue his innovative research.