Abstract

Objectives: The purpose of the current study was to ascertain the knowledge, attitudes, and   behaviors of first-year medical students at Subbaiah Institute of Medical Sciences regarding  communication abilities. Methods: The Subbaiah Institute of Medical Sciences’ first-year medical students participated  in the study. These students study the fundamental scientific courses in an integrated,  competency-based curriculum while enrolled in the preclinical part of their program. Recorded  were the respondents’ age, gender, and occupation as well as the parents’ jobs, the school’s  medium of instruction, their attitude towards communication skills, and their self-evaluation of their communication skills. Appropriate statistical tests (p<0.05) were used to examine the association between the positive and negative attitudes and these variables. Results: A total of 119 students participated in the study; 27(22.7%) were male, and 92(77.3%)  are female. 64(53.8%) were government funded and 55(46.2%) were self-funded. The median  positive attitude score was 26±12.4. The mean negative attitude scale score was 35±12.2. A  highly significant association was noted with attitude towards communication skills (p<0.000). Conclusions: Communication skills training should be modified and strengthened. Regular  workshops, and training session on communication skills should be part of ongoing professional development for all the medical students. 

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