For a new doctor, perhaps the most difficult part of the job is establishing proper communication with his/her patients as miscommunication could lead to clashes with relatives/friends of the patient over care given to the latter.
Taking cognisance of this fact, in a first of its kind decision, the Maharashtra University of Health Sciences (MUHS) has decided to allot five marks to a special question on communication skills in the final year MBBS exam.
The new rule is to be implemented from the upcoming MBBS exams.
Communication skills play a major role in developing patient-doctor relationships as well as ensuring proper and systematic instruction, teaching, training and research in modern medicine and the Indian system of medicine.
Dr Arun Jamkar, vice chancellor, MUHS, said: "There have been a lot of talk about the need for teaching MBBS students on how to talk to patients. Professors in our colleges teach students practical methods to deal with patients. Based on this, we will set one five-mark question in the MBBS exam."
Various health organisations and activists have long been demanding that MUHS should introduce communication skills as part of the undergraduate curriculum in medical colleges. Aspiring doctors need to be taught how to speak to patients, understand the mental state of their relatives and effective ways of breaking bad news.
Recently, after taking charge as president of the Association of Medical Consultants, an umbrella body of super-specialty doctors, Dr Sangeeta Pikale, gynaecologist, also decided to focus on this subject.
According to Dr Pikale, "This is a very good initiative by the university and it's the need of the hour. Colleges teach us only core science, but practising doctors need to master much beyond science. To put it appropriately 'art, science, commerce and legality of medical science'. Now as the university has reserved marks for communication skills, students will take the subject seriously."
"Dealing with anxious relatives of patients is one of the biggest challenges doctors face. They are inundated with questions that are often difficult to answer. Doctors also have to deal with frayed tempers, and at times, convey bad news in the best possible manner. There is a need for aspiring doctors to learn how to tackle situations in a skilled manner," said, Dr Anil Pachnekar, former president of Indian Medical Association.
What is communication skill?
Are skills required to convey information through exchange of ideas, feelings, intentions, attitudes, expectations, perceptions through speech, gestures, writings, behaviour, etc.
Why should doctors learn communication skills?
Communication skills play a major role in developing patient-doctor relationship. And miscommunication could lead to clashes with relatives/friends of patients over care given to the latter.
How does it help a patient?
Once a patient begins developing trust in a doctor, the chances of him/her recovering increases as his/her confidence in the doctor goes up and s/he begins to believe that s/he can recover.
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