A Video-Based Module for Teaching Communication Skills to Otolaryngology Residents

Objective To determine whether instructional videos modeling examples of “good” and “bad” patient communication skills are useful as an educational tool for improving resident-patient communication. Design Retrospective study in which resident participants in the module gave survey responses indicating perceived utility of the exercise. Setting Tertiary academic medical center. Participants A total of 11 otolaryngology trainees from postgraduate year 1-5 who attended the course over 2 separate sessions and provided feedback on the benefits of the module. Results All 11 residents attended both sessions. Of 22 total survey responses, 21 found that the videos were “realistic and engaging” and were a true representation of commonly encountered clinical scenarios. Residents identified multiple themes and behaviors distinguishing “good” vs “bad” communication with patients and felt they could incorporate these into daily practice. A perceived weakness was the lack of opportunity for “role playing” with a video-based module as opposed to standardized patients. Conclusions Instructional videos, when realistic, are useful for modeling effective patient communication skills for residents. By watching the videos, residents are able to identify specific techniques they can incorporate into their daily practice.