Purpose: Implement and evaluate the effectiveness of a newly
condensed, previously piloted communication workshop in a cohort of gynecologic
oncology (GO) fellows.
Background: In GO fellowship, devoting sufficient time to learn
communication skills can be challenging due to the time and logistics required.
A two day workshop was previously piloted at a single institution with GOs and
found to be beneficial. We sought to disseminate that curriculum in a condensed
form.
Methods: We conducted two four-hour sessions with 4 GO fellows
over 4 months. Sessions consisted of a didactic in communication skills led by
faculty with VitalTalk© training, followed by application with a simulated
patient. Cases were developed and previously used in a two-day workshop at
another institution. Fellows were surveyed prior to both sessions and after the
second session. Perceived confidence was assessed on a Likert scale (1 to
5). An improvement was defined by an increase of ≥1 in Likert score.
Results: All fellows reported that the educational quality of
the sessions was “excellent,” that the time in between sessions was “just
right,” allowing them to apply skills learned in the first session prior to the
second. After both sessions, at least three of the four fellows reported an
improvement in confidence in nearly 50% (10/21) of the topics (Table 1).
Table 1**
Name the key
steps of delivering serious news
Bring up
advance care planning
Elicit a
patient’s goals of care from a patient or family member
Lead a
family conference
Manage
conflict that arises during a family meeting
Describe
comfort-focused care
Respond to
patients or family members who have not accepted the seriousness of the
patient’s illness
Discuss
religious or spiritual issues with a patient or family member
Counsel a
patient or family member about what to expect in the dying process
Teach and
mentor learners about how to facilitate delivering serious news
**Areas in
which ≥75% of fellows reported an improvement in confidence (at least ≥1
increase in level of confidence)
Discussions: GO fellows perceived improvements in communication skills
with condensed half-day training seminars.
Topics: CREOG & APGO Annual Meeting, 2019, Faculty, Medical Knowledge, Interpersonal & Communication Skills, GME, Standardized Patient, Gynecologic Oncology,
Renata Urban, MD, University of Washington School of
Medicine; Emily Fay, MD; Lisa Podgurski, MD; Elise Carey, MD; Carolyn
Lefkowits, MD, MPH, MS; Josephine Amory,MD
