The self-evaluation of medical communication skills

Abstract

Self-evaluation of professional skills is recognised to be an essential requirement in undergraduate medical education, yet this aspect of learning is rarely taught in an explicit and systematic fashion. This paper reports on a teaching project in which first year Australian and international medical students self-evaluated their ability to demonstrate medical communication skills during two interviews with a standardised patient. These self-evaluations were compared with clinical tutors' evaluations of the same interactions, for the purpose of formative assessment. Students' self-evaluations showed moderate, significant correlations with those of their tutor. Students improved in their medical communication skills across the two interviews, whilst English language proficiency as assessed by a standardised screening instrument, was not indicative of ability. Further research is necessary to ascertain whether short-term interventions result in enduring outcomes in both improved medical communication skills and a capacity to self-assess.