Assessment of communication skills of surgical residents using the Social Skills Inventory.
BACKGROUND
Interpersonal and communication skills are 1 of the 6 core competencies articulated as essential to resident education by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education. The current study assessed verbal and nonverbal communication skills among surgical residents.


METHODS
The communication skills of surgical residents (n = 64) were assessed using the Social Skills Inventory.


RESULTS
The majority of surgical residents demonstrated strong verbal and nonverbal skills, although the equilibrium index scores demonstrated an imbalance in the social skill profile for a minority (17.2%) of residents. Post graduate year was positively related to social expressivity (r = .31, P < .01) and social control (r = .27, P < .01) skills. In some cases, being proficient in one social skill was actually negatively related to another.


CONCLUSIONS
The Social Skills Inventory was found to be a useful instrument for the multidimensional assessment of resident communication skills. Areas of strengths and weaknesses were identified and could be used for targeting areas for future educational interventions.
Horwitz
Irwin B
IB
Department of Management, Policy and Community Health, University of Texas School of Public Health, 1200 Herman Pressler, Houston, TX 77030, USA. Irwin.Horwitz@uth.tmc.edu
Horwitz
Sujin K
SK
Brandt
Mary L
ML
Brunicardi
F Charles
FC
Scott
Bradford G
BG
Awad
Samir S
SS
D000328:Adult; D003142:Communication; D005260:Female; D013502:General Surgery / Q000193:education*; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency; D008297:Male; D011361:Professional Competence; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires