title: Communication skills training of undergraduates.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the adequacy or deficiency of relevant communication skills needed in clinical practice among students of King Edward Medical University and identify the need of developing curriculum for communication skills.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sequential mixed method design using survey questionnair and in-depth interviews.
  
  
  METHODS
  King Edward Medical University, Lahore, from March - September 2010.
  
  
  METHODS
  Final year students consented to participate in the survey questionnaire regarding communication skills needed in clinical practice selected on the basis of random stratified sampling technique. The questioned aspects include communication skills, supervised training, breaking bad news, counselling and written communication skills. In the second qualitative phase, volunteers who had passed final year were selected on the basis of non-probability purposive sampling technique for recording in-depth interviews. Qualitative data was analyzed with content analysis after identifying themes and trends from the data.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Only 20% students had clarity of communication skills training, 28% believed that their learning was supervised, 20% believed training was structured, 28% were confident about handling difficult situations, 15% could effectively break bad news, and 22% were confident in written communication skills. In the interviews 70% felt that their peers had average skills in handling difficult situations like breaking bad news and counselling, 60% believed that communication skills program was non-existent and 100% agreed that patient turnover is a strength for the institute and structured training would improve their communication skills performance.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The communication skills of the studied group were inadequate to address special situations. This presses need for developing a communication skills training program.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Services Institute of Medical Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan. abrarashraf2000@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Abrar Ashraf
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Ali
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003142:Communication; D003376:Counseling; D003479:Curriculum; D004504:Education, Medical, Undergraduate / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D007858:Learning; D008297:Male; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D011361:Professional Competence; D036301:Qualitative Research; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013663:Teaching / Q000379:methods*; D055815:Young Adult