title: [Teaching doctor-patient communication - a proposal in practice].
abstract: Traditionally, doctor-patient communication was considered a matter of <<art>> and <<vocation>>, and a topic for informal learning. Recently, studies have shown the importance of communication skills in medical practice. Doctor-patient communication skills, such as knowing how to listen, how to observe, and how to inform are today considered important components of Medical Education, although they are often difficult to integrate in Medical Curricula. In the current work, the authors describe the program of Communication in the Doctor-Patient Relationship, initiated in 2001 in the Medical School of the University of Porto, part of its undergraduate program. Future studies will allow us to assess the effectiveness of the learning and application of these skills in clinical practice.
authors.affiliation: Serviço Psicologia Médica, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade do Porto, Porto.
authors.forename: Irene P
authors.initials: IP
authors.lastname: Carvalho
authors.forename: Raquel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ribeiro-Silva
authors.forename: Vanessa G
authors.initials: VG
authors.lastname: Pais
authors.forename: Margarida
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Figueiredo-Braga
authors.forename: Ivone
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Castro-Vale
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Teles
authors.forename: Susana S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Almeida
authors.forename: Rui
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mota-Cardoso
mesh_terms: D003142:Communication; D004501:Education, Medical; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations