Assessment of communication skills in family medicine

Objective: To assess the communication and interviewing skills of incoming residents and provide formative feedback to residents early in their training. Design: New residents completed a 15-minute Objective: structured clinical examination (OSCE) assessing communication skills and a 12-question, self-administered content quiz at the start of their residency. Each resident was directly observed by a family physician in the OSCE and provided with 15 minutes of structured feedback, with an opportunity for questions and discussion. The entire process remained private and did not affect summative evaluations. Setting: Family medicine residency training program at the University of Alberta in Edmonton. Participants: First-year family medicine residents. Main outcome measures: Residents' scores on the OSCE and the content quiz; residents' rating of the usefulness of the assessment and the likelihood it would lead to practice change. Results: A total of 61 residents (93.8%) completed the skills assessment (50 Canadian graduates, 11 international graduates). The mean score for the content quiz was 20.6 out of a total possible score of 24. Resident scores ranged from 8 to 24. The mean score on the OSCE practice interview was 21.1 out of 30, with a range of 13 to 29. Learner feedback indicated that the skills assessment was useful (4.68 out of 6) and would lead to a change in practice (4.43 out of 6). Conclusion: The introductory communication OSCE and quiz offer new residents an opportunity to gauge their baseline skill level, become aware of program expectations early in their training, and garner specific suggestions in a nonthreatening environment. This tailored approach helps orient residents while taking into account their previous experiences.