RESUMO
Using simulated clients is an effective teaching method for training and assessing communication skills in veterinary education. The aim of this study is to evaluate the use of actors and peers in communication skills training in veterinary medicine. For this purpose, the subjective perception of the use of actors was assessed in a first study using a paper-based self-evaluation survey. In a second study, different groups of veterinary students who trained their communication skills with actors or peers were compared in an electronic Objective Structured Clinical Examination (eOSCE) assessment with regard to their outcomes of communication proficiency. All participants reported the actors to be helpful and supportive in learning communication skills. Above all, participants highly rated the achieved authenticity when using actors as well as feedback sessions. Regarding the comparison of actors and peers as teaching methods, no significant difference in the performance of veterinary students in an eOSCE was identified. Despite the lack of objective evidence, both methods may be considered valuable and accepted teaching tools. Training with peers gives students an opportunity to learn how to conduct structured history interviews and to understand pet owners' motives at an early stage of undergraduate veterinary training. Change of perspective is considered a positive training element. However, when portraying authentic and standardized emotions and reactions and giving formative feedback based on the pet owners' internal perspectives, actors are beneficial for training advanced veterinary students and graduates in difficult conversation topics.
RESUMO
BACKGROUND: Communication is an indispensable skill in the everyday working life of a veterinary team. In German higher educational institutions, communication skills training is explicitly mentioned in the curricula of veterinary assistants, including veterinary nurses and veterinary technicians, and of animal keepers, but not for undergraduate veterinary medicine. Little is known about interprofessional education in veterinary medicine and related professions. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to describe and explore the current interprofessional state of knowledge regarding communication skills of the aforementioned groups in Germany. METHODS: To explore the perception, assess the knowledge and identify the attitude regarding communication skills and interprofessional training, an online survey was distributed. The survey was sent to all five veterinary higher educational institutions, 38 schools for veterinary assistants and 15 schools for animal keepers throughout Germany. RESULTS: In total, 294 veterinary students, 111 veterinary assistant trainees and 62 animal keeper trainees participated. The majority of participants (98.07%, n = 458) perceived communication skills as highly important for their everyday work. In total, 413 participants (88.44%) felt that their communication skills needed improvement and more than half admitted having difficulties in effective communication (59.31%; n = 277). In addition, 62.74% of respondents (n = 293) were not sufficiently informed about the training content of their future colleagues. Most were convinced that training could positively influence on their communication with clients (95.72%; n = 447) and the team (92.29%; n = 431), and 76.45% of respondents (n = 357) wished to participate in an interprofessional training. CONCLUSIONS: Results of this study confirm that communication skills are perceived as highly important for professional life. Students and trainees show a great interest in communication skills and interprofessional training. The findings indicate that appropriate adjustments to existing curricula are necessary in Germany.
