Combining the teaching of statistics with communication skills

The need for doctors to have proficient communication skills is well recognised,1 but teaching students how to communicate risk to patients seems to have received little attention in the undergraduate medical curriculum. Primarily it is statisticians who teach the concept of probability. This ultimately translates into the communication of risk that informs the clinical consultation. Although students need to appreciate the basics of statistical methods and know the different ways to convey risk,2 it is particularly important that they have the opportunity to practise these skills under safe conditions and receive constructive feedback.1 3

The recently established graduate entry programme at St George's Hospital Medical School in London has an integrated curriculum across all years.4 The course is delivered by using problem based learning whereby students use “triggers” from a problem case or scenario to identify their own learning issues.5 It has …