“Communication skills in medicine”. since this academic year, the work of the department of a new educational group of professional competencies and health management skills, created at the request of the World Federation of Medical Education (WFME), has started .
The educational program of YSMU “MD Physician” has been brought into line with the requirements stipulated by the above-mentioned Federation, and the continuous educational initiative starting today is another component of the phased process of internationalization.The lecture “Building bridges for higher quality healthcare” was the first lecture to be presented to future Armenian and foreign doctors of the second year of the Faculty of General Medicine.
The lecturer was Khachatur Margaryan. -the head of this newly created university department.The lecturer began the dialogue with the audience with questions about communication addressed to students. “You will need communication skills not only in daily communication with patients, but also with colleagues, which is no less important,” he stressed.
Thus, during one academic year, with five lectures and a final exam, sophomores will hone the skills of correct and competent communication.
“When you find yourself in a ward, hospital, clinical environment and wear a robe with the logo of a medical university, it does not matter to the patient whether you are a student or a doctor, he will expect you to master the knowledge that is accepted in the educational world of communication skills,” said Margaryan, who is also the head of the Career Center and Deputy Head of the Department for the Education of International Students.
From flexible skills to interpersonal communication, cultural competence, professionalism, critical thinking, stress management: these were the topics of discussion of the first lecture.
The historical origins of communication leading to ancient Greece, India and China were also touched upon.
The beginning and end of the 20th century also provided a huge progress in terms of communication that was introduced in the field of medicine.
The students’ questions about the new initiative followed each other: they contained both ethical and moral-psychological orientation.
In the near future, the department will present to students 4 more lectures from two doctors and two non-medical specialists, which will concern the establishment of effective communication in medicine, communication with the population, effective interprofessional issues and, most importantly, communication skills between a doctor and a patient.
