The interview skills observed in medical interview of third-year medical students

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Establishing effective communication between doctor and patient help doctors treat their patients easily and influence patient's compliance with medical regimen and treatment outcome. The objective of this study was to evaluate common characteristic of third-year medical student's behavior in their patient interview and apply these results to medical education of communication. METHODS: Ninety-one third-year medical students in Hanyang University College of Medicine through their clerkship in family medicine had been instructed to perform medical interviews of patients who visited the Department of Family Medicine of Hanyang University Hospital. Video-taped records of the interviews using CCTV were done. The evaluation was done with a rating scale table consisting of 20 items. The rating scale was categorized in to 5 areas beginning the interviews, collection of information, doctor-patient relationship, structure of interview and ending the interview. RESULTS: Among the 62 students who were enrolled in the study, 55 students were males(84%). In the process of collecting information 33 students(53%) applied open-ended question at least once. Eighteen students(29%) used leading question. In the doctor-patient relationship, 3 students gave empathic verbal response among 58 records which were applicable. In the structure of interview, 25 students(40%) appropriately avoided to shift abruptly the focus of discussion. When ending their interviews, 6 students(10%) clarified the interview in whole. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that there are several deficiencies in medical students' communication skills during their process of interviews that might influence information gathering and doctor-patient relation ship.