Teaching letter writing to medical undergraduates.

Poor quality medical letters epitomise the failing communication skills of Australian doctors. I asked the 11 Australian medical schools to define how these skills are taught to undergraduates, and The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) to comment on the essay section of the college examinations. Six of the 11 universities replied; two of them teach communication. The RACGP supported the need to teach undergraduates communication skills.

Radiologic technologists can communicate clearly.

To improve professional communications skills of students, a pilot course in "Scientific Communications" was included as a requirement in the new baccalaureate program in the Department of Radiological Sciences, School of Related Health Sciences, University of Health Sciences/The Chicago Medical School, in 1973-74. During four years, the course has been revised to meet recognized needs of students. Learning objectives and course content are described as an encouragement to other schools to train radiologic technologists in professional communications.

Graduate program in biomedical communication.

The need for harnessing the achievements of communication technology to the burgeoning mass of biomedical information is critical. Recognizing this problem and aware of the short supply of professionals with the skills necessary for the job, a group of leaders from the fields of medicine and communications formed a consortium in 1967 and have developed a twelve month graduate program in biomedical communication. Designed to ground the advanced student in the development and administration of biomedical communication programs, the curriculum focuses on the principles and practice of communication and the development of communications media. Courses are given in the control and communication of information; the printed and spoken word; visual media of photographic arts, television, and motion pictures; computer science; and administration and systems analysis.