title: Resident physicians' attitudes and confidence in communicating with patients: a pilot study at a Japanese university hospital.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to explore the relationships among physicians' confidence in conducting medical interviews, their attitudes toward the patient-physician relationship, and undergraduate training in communication skills among resident physicians in Japan.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants were 63 first-year resident physicians at a university hospital in Tokyo. The Physician Confidence in the Medical Interview scale (PCMI) was constructed based on the framework of the Calgary-Cambridge Guide. Additionally, participants' attitudes toward the patient-physician relationship (Patient-Practitioner Orientation Scale; PPOS), undergraduate experience of communication skills training, and demographic characteristics were assessed through a self-reported questionnaire.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The internal consistency of the PCMI and PPOS scales were adequate. As expected from the undergraduate curriculum for medical interviews in Japan, residents had relatively higher confidence in their communication skills with respect to gathering information and building the relationship, whereas less confident about sharing information and planning treatment. The PCMI was associated with a more patient-centered attitude as measured by the PPOS.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These scales could be useful tools to measure physicians' confidence and attitudes in communicating with patients and to explore their changes through medical education.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Residency programs should consider including systematic training and assessment in communication skills related to sharing information and planning treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Communication, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan. Electronic address: hirono-tky@umin.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Hirono
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ishikawa
authors.affiliation: General Education Center, University of Tokyo Hospital, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Masato
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Eto
authors.affiliation: General Education Center, University of Tokyo Hospital, Tokyo, Japan; International Research Center for Medical Education, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Kiyoshi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kitamura
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Communication, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Takahiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kiuchi
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003142:Communication; D003479:Curriculum; D004501:Education, Medical; D005260:Female; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D010820:Physicians; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012649:Self Concept; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Attitude; Communication skills; Confidence; Graduate medical education; Patient-centered