Table 1 Teachers’ and candidates’ perceptions regarding communication skills addressed during the undergraduate curriculum (candidates’ n ranged from 305 to 389; teachers/coordinators n = 16)
Topics of the Swiss catalogue of learning objectives | Teachers’ perceptions | Candidates’ perceptions | |
|---|---|---|---|
Likert 1–5 | % Yes | Responding | |
Mean (SD) | |||
Generally covered topics | |||
Patient-focused history taking | |||
− Focused | 4.7 (0.5) | 94.1 | 389 |
− Reasons | 4.8 (0.4) | 97.9 | 384 |
− Expectations | 4.2 (0.9) | 87.4 | 357 |
− Somatic-psychological aspects | 4.6 (0.6) | 95.9 | 365 |
− Concerns | 4.2 (1.0) | 88.6 | 367 |
− Socio-cultural background | 4.2 (0.7) | 84.0 | 356 |
− Illness experience | 3.8 (0.9) | 78.2 | 339 |
Ask patient needs regarding health problems | 4.1 (0.9) | 73.2 | 321 |
Disease-illness concepts | 4.0 (1.3) | 86.3 | 342 |
React to nonverbal cues | 4.1 (0.9) | 76.2 | 319 |
Balance proximity-distance | 3.9 (1.1) | 62.6 | 305 |
Show empathy | 4.2 (1.0) | 86.8 | 319 |
Establish and maintain an empathetic relationship | 4.5 (0.5) | 74.8 | 314 |
Give time to patient | 4.8 (0.4) | 98.1 | 371 |
Active listening | 4.8 (0.5) | 96.2 | 366 |
Collecting information about delicate issues (sexual) | 4.1 (1.0) | 79.1 | 358 |
Obtaining patient consent | 3.8 (1.1) | 82.5 | 337 |
Explaining reasons for investigation, risks, advantages | 3.6 (1.0) | 82.9 | 333 |
Explaining and checking patient understanding | 4.3 (0.8) | 84.9 | 325 |
Breaking bad news | 4.1 (0.9) | 80.9 | 330 |
Counselling skills | 3.9 (1.0) | 88.4 | 327 |
Generally less covered topics | |||
History taking in absence of patient | 2.4 (1.4) | 62.6 | 372 |
History taking with special needs patients (dying) | 3.3 (1.1) | 59.5 | 346 |
Communicating with patients with language problems | 1.8 (1.0) | 21.2 | 344 |
Communicating with allophone patients | 3.0 (1.3) | 45.7 | 352 |
Communicating with vulnerable patients | 2.9 (1.2) | 63.9 | 341 |
Phone conversation | 2.5 (1.6) | 53.5 | 368 |
Document information | 2.5 (1.2) | 39.9 | 326 |
Shared decision making | 3.3 (1.3) | 66.6 | 323 |
Use of visual support | 2.2 (0.9) | 49.2 | 309 |
Managing unsatisfied or unhappy patients/families | 2.4 (1.3) | 43.3 | 321 |
Interprofessional communication | 2.4 (0.9) | 48.7 | 318 |
Presentation skills | 3.4 (1.1) | 62.2 | 315 |