Portretfoto Ellemieke Rasenberg
Portretfoto Ellemieke Rasenberg

Improving communication skills of medical students

TLC voucher project
Duration
2021
Project member(s)
Ellemieke Rasenberg , Bart Thoonen , Guus Brand
Project type
Research

Motivation

Medical students who are currently doing their internship indicate that they receive sufficient feedback on their actions regarding medical issues. However, they state that they rarely receive feedback on their communication skills. Can a system of video recording and peer feedback help students develop communication skills?

It is known that it is necessary to continue to learn communication skills in the workplace, otherwise these skills disappear again (van Dalen et al, 2002, Mazmanianet et al, 2009). After all, the transfer of skills from “classroom to workplace” does not happen automatically.

Desired solution

Currently, medical students at Radboud University use a video feedback system to record a contact moment with a patient during each internship. The recordings can then be digitally shared with peers, teachers and trainers with feedback questions from the student.

The aim of Ellemieke Rasenberg is to further investigate the recording and digital discussion of consultations between students and patients using a video feedback system. She wants to find out whether this is an addition to the current education in communication and consultation skills in the master's degree in Medicine.

Action plan

Over a hundred students who have completed the Internship Internal Medicine are approached with the question whether they want to participate in the study. The students are asked if they would like to make their feedback on the conversations of fellow students available for the research. This way Ellemieke can investigate how students use the annotation system.

She also researches how the students themselves experience the video feedback system.

Results

Ellemieke analysed 23 documents in which coassistants had provided video clips of fellow students and themselves with feedback. This feedback was clustered into three main themes: 1) content, 2) labelling of own video clip and 3) responses to requested feedback.

Several insights emerged from the analysis. Students appear well able to give each other feedback in a careful and substantive way. In doing so, they apply techniques previously learned during communication training with simulation patients. They not only take a critical look at themselves, but also keenly observe each other's conversations and actively contribute ideas on how to do things differently or better. Remarkably, only a minority of students share their videos with fellow students and this sharing usually takes place within small, familiar groups. This shows the importance of a safe learning environment as a prerequisite for using the video feedback system.

Overall, the analysis shows that the video feedback system is a good way to provide feedback on communication skills during internships. For trainers, it is also a practical way to form an opinion on students' communication skills in practice.

Funding

This project is funded by a TLC voucher from the Radboud Teaching and Learning Centre. This voucher programme aims to set up projects in the field of educational innovation, lecturer development and educational research.

View all voucher projects

Contact information

Want to know more? Do not hesitate to contact the voucher stakeholder, Ellemieke Rosenberg, via ellemieke.rasenberg@radboudumc.nl.