Benefits of knowledge-based interprofessional communication skills training in medical undergraduate education

OBJECTIVES Good interprofessional communication is fundamental to effective teamworking in medicine. Finalmed is a private course that teaches the principles and methods of clinical presenting as an iterative technique of reasoning though clinical data. We have tested the efficacy of this technique using a questionnaire-based study. DESIGN An anonymized 10-point Likert scale questionnaire was designed. SETTING Questionnaires were distributed at five UK courses and two UAE courses. PARTICIPANTS Questionnaires were given to all students attending these courses. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES The questionnaire included pre- and post-course questions addressing self-reported confidence in clinical presenting (CCP) and effectiveness in clinical presenting (ECP). We also asked whether attendees felt that clinical presenting should be integrated formally into medical school curricula. RESULTS A total of 331/395 questionnaires were returned. Median improvement in CCP was 50% (P < 0.0001) and in ECP was 40% (P < 0.0001), irrespective of country of study, graduate entry status and whether the student felt that they had been exposed to these techniques previously. Students recorded a strong opinion in favour of integrating the content and style of the Finalmed course into their medical school curriculum, with 286 students (86%) recording a score of ≥8. CONCLUSION Our study suggests that after a two- or three-day dedicated course, both self-reported confidence and effectiveness in clinical presenting significantly improve. Furthermore, students in the UK and the UAE returned a desire for integration into medical school curricula of IPC through the teaching of clinical presenting.