MedEdPublish (Jan 2020)
Consultation skills of final year medical students in Sweden: video-recorded real-patient consultations in primary health care assessed by Calgary-Cambridge Global Consultation Rating Scale, a pilot study [Version 2]
Abstract
Introduction: Doctor-patient consultation is an essential element of high quality health care. Education and training of medical students in consultation skills is important. The aim of this study was to investigate the medical students' consultation skills before graduation by assessment of the students' video recordings of consultations with real patients at primary health care centres. Methods: All students had to make a video recording of a meeting with a real patient for formative examination. 26 students participated in the study and delivered a video recording and a self-assessment. Four general practitioners assessed the video recordings by Calgary-Cambridge Global Consultation Rating Scale (CC-GCRS). Statistical testing included comparisons between groups of students and assessors using non-parametric methods. Results: The average CC-GCRS-rating was higher for female students. The students' strengths were related to relation and problem exploration. Their limitations were related to patient's perspective, providing structure and providing information. The students assessed their consultation skills higher than the assessors did, while the relative levels were similar. The distribution of rating scores across the assessors was small. Conclusion: Consultation skills were acceptable for most medical students, although there was room for improvement regarding patient centeredness skills. CC-GCRS was feasible and might be a valuable instrument to assess consultation skills for medical students at the end of their medical education.
