title: Current trends in Communication Skills Training in UK schools of medicine.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Communication Skills Training (CST) is now mandatory for all students in UK Schools of Medicine. However, the extent to which all schools follow a similar curriculum is unclear.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This paper reports the findings of a survey of CST teaching in all UK Schools and compares the findings with an earlier survey.
  
  
  METHODS
  A specially designed questionnaire survey was sent to all Schools, and this was supplemented by follow-up telephone interviews.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There is a high level of consensus across Schools about the aims and objectives of CST, its location within the overall curriculum, and how it is assessed. There is also a dedicated staff member specifically responsible for CST delivery in all Schools. A wide number of different specialisms also contribute to training. However, wide variations remain in CST pedagogy. In addition, several problems were identified in relation to the integration and operation of CST.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  While the paper identifies and delineates a typical or 'modal' model of CST in UK Schools of Medicine, it also emphasizes the importance of flexibility in this part of the curriculum.
authors.affiliation: School of Communication, University of Ulster, Northern Ireland, UK. odw.hargie@ulster.ac.uk
authors.forename: Owen
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Hargie
authors.forename: Mairead
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Boohan
authors.forename: Mairead
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: McCoy
authors.forename: Pauline
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Murphy
mesh_terms: D003142:Communication; D003479:Curriculum / Q000639:trends*; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D011361:Professional Competence; D012577:Schools, Medical; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D006113:United Kingdom