Faculty Members’ Communication Skills in Educational Process in Arak University of Medical Sciences

Introduction: In the educational process, communication is the relationship between two people or two or more ideas. Considering the importance of communication in the teaching process, we investigated academicians’ communication skills in educational process at Arak University of Medical Sciences. Methods: In this descriptive, cross-sectional study, all faculty members of Arak Medical Sciences University studied during 2010-2011. Data were collected using the self-assessment questionnaire developed and validated by Queen Dom, which has 34 items and 5 subscales, with the maximum score of 170. Data were analyzed using t-test and ANOVA. Results: Total mean of communication skills was 121±8.8. Mean of communication sub-skills including emotion control, message perception, decisiveness, listening to and showing recognition to message were 68.2±8.3, 71.7±7.7, 69.9±9, 71.4±8.3, and 68±8.9, respectively. Mean of emotion control in the deans, men, and participants in communication skills workshops were more than others. There was a significant association between emotion control and gender and message perception (p=0.01,t=2.57) and decisiveness (t=2.26, p=0.02). Conclusion: With regard to results, holding communication skills workshops could help improve relationship between the faculty members, specially women members with their students.