Doctor-Patient Relationships (CM150)

Victoria University of Barbados
Faculty of Medicine
Department Of Basic Science

Course Title: Doctor-Patient Relationships
Course Code: CM150
Course Credits: 4
Course Coordinator: –

DOCTOR-PATIENT RELATIONSHIPS
Overview

The goal of this course is to serve as an introduction for student doctors to learn the skills necessary to find out who their patient is as a person, to explore the impact of illness on that person’s life, and to collect from that person the information necessary to provide competent health care in the context of
an effective doctor-patient relationship.

CONTENT
The topics of informed consent, assessment of patient competence, truth telling, confidentiality, and end-of-life decisions, religion, spirituality, and law are examined in several clinical contexts such as acute care, pediatrics, geriatrics, and rehabilitation medicine. Small group sessions following lecture provide a
chance for in-depth discussion

COMPETENCIES
1. Professionalism
2. Shows professional attitudes and demeanor in interactions with patients, peers and faculty
3. Rapport
4. Attempts to engage patient, listens attentively, does not interrupt inappropriately; is respectful, humble and non-judgmental
5. Empathy
6. Explores patient’s underlying feelings, and validates them by conveying an understanding of them
7. Medical History
8. Shows an organized approach to eliciting data, knows what information to collect from each part of the history
9. Patient-Centered Perspective
10. Seeks to understand and respect patient’s background, culture, and belief systems
11. Growth toward Physician Role
12. Assumes physician role in the doctor-patient relationship
13. Oral Presentations
14. Presents clinical material in a coherent, organized, accurate and concise manner
15. Written Documentation
16. Translates interactions with patients into coherent, organized, accurate written summaries
17. Group Participation
18. Engages in group discussions, interacts respectfully with peers
19. Constructive Feedback
20. Gives timely and specific feedback to peers respectfully. Is open to feedback from peers and section leaders
21. Reflective Practice
22. Demonstrates thoughtful personal integration of patient interactions through journaling and group participation
23. Expected Professional Attitudes
24. Consider this your first clinical rotation—you are now a student doctor in training, and this means that your role of student is different from that of previous student experiences. As a professional, you should approach learning in the course as part of the doctor-patient covenant and show the professional attitude and demeanor that is part of a physician’s role as follows:
25. Be open-minded and not defensive
26. Use appropriate demeanor, language and dress for a medical professional
27. Have humility as well as maturity
28. Adherence to boundaries (no after-interview patient visits)
29. Respect for section leader and peers