title: Medical student communication skills and specialty choice.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to determine if communication skills differ for medical students entering person or technique-oriented specialties.
  
  
  METHODS
  Communication ratings by clerkship preceptors on an institutionally required end of clerkship medical student performance evaluation (SPE) form were compiled for 2011/2012 academic year (Class of 2013). M3 clerkships and the Class of 2013 match appointments were categorized as person or technique-oriented clerkships/specialties. Mean differences in SPE communication scores were determined by analyses of variance (ANOVA) and independent t tests. Score associations were determined by Pearson correlations. Inter-item reliability was reported with Cronbach alpha.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The Class of 2013 match appointments were as follows: person-oriented (N = 91) and technique-oriented (N = 91) residency specialties. There was no significant difference in mean communication scores for medical students who entered person-oriented (mean 7.8, SD 0.4) versus technique-oriented (mean 7.9, SD 0.4) specialties (p = 0.258) or for person-oriented clerkship (mean 7.8, SD 0.4) versus technique-oriented clerkship (mean 7.9, SD 0.6) ratings for medical students who matched into person-oriented specialties (p = 0.124). Medical students who matched into technique-oriented specialties (mean 8.1, SD 0.5) received significantly higher (p = 0.001) communication ratings as compared with those matching into person-oriented specialties (mean 7.8, SD 0.5) from technique-oriented clerkships.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Communication with patients and families is a complex constellation of specific abilities that appear to be influenced by the rater's specialty. Further study is needed to determine if technique-oriented specialties communication skill rating criteria differ from those used by raters from person-oriented specialties.
authors.affiliation: Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA, ctsao@mcw.edu.
authors.forename: Carol I
authors.initials: CI
authors.lastname: Ping Tsao
authors.forename: Deborah
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Simpson
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Treat
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002321:Career Choice; D002982:Clinical Clerkship; D003142:Communication; D004650:Employee Performance Appraisal; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult