A recent study reported in Archives of Surgery looked at 44 general surgery residents who had received "communications training." Yup, this training was designed to help them improve the way they deliver bad news to their patients.
In the study, the doctors were assessed on how they delivered bad news, and on their communication skills in general. Then, they took the class and were subsequently reassessed. Turns out certain aspects of their delivery improved, but their general communication skills did not.
We suppose that doctors are supposed to know how to communicate. Apparently, this is not something that everyone can do. Now imagine if they are charged with communicating across culture and language? How low would they score?
(MARN)
