title: [Identifying language and communication disorders as part of the medical curriculum].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Like hearing loss, language and speech disorders can also lead to impaired communication. Speech and language disorders can occur at any age, for example as a specific language impairment, stuttering, dysarthria, and aphasia. Hence, irrespective of their speciality, there is a high probability that physicians will at some point encounter communication-impaired patients, be required to classify their disorder and refer them for appropriate therapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  A new module entitled 'communication disorders' consisting of two teaching units was integrated in the practical course 'ENT--phoniatrics--pedaudiology' for undergraduate clinical students in 2008. The learning objective of the first unit was to identify and classify communication disorders, presented using sound and video data, by means of simple criteria. The module was evaluated on the basis of questionnaires completed by 164 students.
  
  
  RESULTS
  On a scale of 1-7, the evaluation showed overall positive results with 6.54 (highest score) for professional competence and 5.32 (lowest score) for discussion. The overall score was 12.28 out of a possible maximum of 15 points.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The ability to identify communication impairments is an important medical skill. Since communication disorders are common diseases we suggest that this skill be incorporated in the medical curriculum. Thus we have introduced a module for communication disorders; its evaluation by students shows a high level of satisfaction in each category. After developing specific diagnostic indicators students were able to independently describe and identify communication disorders.
authors.affiliation: Klinik und Poliklinik für Phoniatrie und Pädaudiologie, Universitätsklinikum Münster, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität, Kardinal-von-Galen-Ring 10, 48149, Münster, Deutschland. d.deuster@uni-muenster.de
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Deuster
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: am Zehnhoff-Dinnesen
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Knief
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Matulat
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bartha-Doering
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fiori
authors.forename: C-M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Schmidt
mesh_terms: D001298:Audiology / Q000193:education*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003147:Communication Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003479:Curriculum; D004501:Education, Medical / Q000379:methods*; D004521:Educational Measurement; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007806:Language Disorders; D007807:Language Tests; D010036:Otolaryngology / Q000193:education*; D010372:Pediatrics / Q000193:education*; D011361:Professional Competence