The Effect of Communication Skills Training by Video Feedback Method on Communication Skills of Interns

Effective communication is essential to the practice of high quality medicine. There are methodological challenges in communication skills training. There is compelling evidence that experiential methods of communication skills instruction are superior to the more traditional didactic approach. This study has been performed to assess the educational benefits of communication skills training by the video feedback method versus a more traditional format such as a lecture on communication skills. This was an interventional, double blind, prospective study which was performed in 2005 – 2006 at Isfahan University of Medical Sciences. There were 40 medical students who participated in this study. We had 20 medical students in each group. Both groups initially participated in communication skills classes and subsequently their communication skills were evaluated with an Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE 1). Group one then participated in a video feedback workshop and their communication skills were evaluated by OSCE 2 two months after the course. The communication skills of group two were re-evaluated by OSCE 2 after two months. The scores of OSCE 1 and OSCE 2 of both groups were compared. Results were analyzed using SPSS. The mean OSCE 1 communication skills scores of both groups were compared and the results showed no significant difference between the groups (P=0.53). Group one had significantly higher communication skills scores in OSCE 2 after the video feedback workshop when compared to the communication skill scores of group two which had no further intervention (P<00). The study showed our training intervention was effective in producing a significant change in medical students’ communication skills. Video feedback was more effective than traditional didactic methods such as lectures. Repetition of feedback using videotaped performance may be useful to improve communication skills for medical interviews. Evidence suggests that practice with feedback is an essential ingredient of communication skills courses and is more effective than other methods such as simply discussing issues in communication.