Biomedical subjects

A T Morrison

Publications and source records attributed to A T Morrison.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed1979

Communication skills and undergraduate medical education.

This paper reports some aspects of teaching communication skills based on experience with over 100 pre-clinical students in each of two years. Students interviewed patients selected by general practitioner tutors from their practices and 214 interviews, recorded on videotape, were subsequently analysed. Without having been given detailed instruction, approximately two-thirds of each class of second year students (mean age 19 1/2 years) sustained a consultation for 5 minutes or more. Over one half of the students elicited the salient features of the patients' problems within this short time. Anxiety exhibited by the majority of students could be seen to influence the interviews in several ways. These manifestations and the ways in which the interview was affected are briefly described. When some of the patients were subsequently interviewed by postgraduate trainees in general practice, the consultations differed in a number of respects. These differences are described, and the possible significance of the observations is discussed in relation to medical education.

Anxiety↗

PubMed1978

Difficulties in consultations reported by doctors in general practice.

General-practitioner trainers in Scotland responded to a questionnaire on difficulties in consultation significantly more readily than did non-trainers. Their answers to some questions were significantly different.Trainer and trainee views of difficulties in communication with different types of patients and situations are broadly similar. Because of this similarity of views, the experienced doctor can plan an approach to training which is valid for the inexperienced trainee. He may, however, modify his estimate of the degree of difficulty for the trainee of consultation by involving some categories, for example, adolescents (easier for the trainee), dying patients (more difficult), patients of socioeconomic status which is different to that of the doctor (more difficult).SOME ASPECTS OF THE CONSULTATION MERIT SPECIAL ATTENTION: techniques such as those appropriate to ending the interview and discovering the patient's reasons for seeking medical help.While trainees' problems associated with lack of familiarity with patients and their circumstances are likely to decrease with time spent in the teaching practice, adequate records can help to diminish the trainees' insecurity.This survey confirms the need to continue to focus attention on patient management as a component of training as relevant as the detailed diagnosis and treatment of disease.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1977

Medical students talking to patients.

Observations were made of 108 pre-clinical medical students interviewing patients carefully selected by general practitioner tutors, under strict supervision in an audio-visual studio. Videotape replay allowed immediate feed-back to the student, and this was supplemented by direct comment from the patient. The consultations were also used for small group teaching (by CCTV). Although most students viewed the exercise as threatening, they appeared to find it a helpful experience. The method uncovered students with major defects in communicating at the personal level. Detailed analyses of the content of the interviews are being carried out, and will be the subject of a separate communication.

Behavioral Sciences↗