Biomedicine

Abstract

Introduction and Aim: Effective physician-patient communication is vital for successful medical practice. The Kalamazoo Consensus Statement outlines seven essential elements of such communication. In response, the National Medical Commission (NMC) of India incorporated Attitude, Ethics, and Communication (AETCOM) modules into the competency-based undergraduate medical curriculum. This study aimed to evaluate first-year MBBS students’ perceptions of AETCOM Module 1.4 on communication foundations, their understanding of the Kalamazoo Consensus principles, and the impact of video-based learning and role-play on their communication skills. Methods: A quasi-experimental study was conducted in March 2022 at Vydehi Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Centre, Bangalore, with 230 first-year MBBS students. The AETCOM module comprised large-group video sessions (2 hours), self-directed learning (2 hours), small-group role-play discussions (2 hours), and a closure session (1 hour). Feedback was collected using a Likert scale to assess session effectiveness. Results: This study evaluated the impact of the AETCOM curriculum on first-year MBBS students' communication skills using role-play and video-based training. A paired t-test showed significant improvements, with male students’ scores increasing from 4.144 to 5.769 and female students’ from 4.47 to 6.314. Key domains like "Opening the Discussion" and "Gathering Information" improved by +6.6 and +5.7 points, respectively (p < 0.001). Feedback showed 99.5% of students recognized the importance of effective communication in clinical practice, highlighting high satisfaction. Conclusion: The first-year MBBS students' communication skills and understanding of the patient-doctor relationship were improved by early exposure to AETCOM Module 1.4. This highlights the essential need for well-structured and systematic communication training in medical education to help students interact effectively with patients and become better doctors.