Teaching and assessing communication skills in Maastricht: the first twenty years

In order to share the issues involved in setting up a communication skills training programme in a medical school, the development of such a programme at the Skillslab of Maastricht Medical School, the Netherlands, is describ ed and the problems encountered are addressed. A multidisciplinary working group developed teaching goals for communication skills, focused on observa ble behaviour to be displayed by students. These teaching goals were incorp orated in a generic model for doctor-patient communication. A longitudinal training programme was created throughout the four years of the preclinical curriculum. Students meet in small groups of 10, once every 2 weeks. In be tween group sessions they practise consultation skills in simulated patient contacts. Communication skills are assessed in the annual multiple station examination. In the development of this programme the following consecutiv e actions were taken: teaching material was produced, and an assessment too l was developed, as were instruments for programme evaluation. The programm e evaluation allowed student feedback to teachers, the teachers' department s, and the administration of the medical school. Finally, teacher training was professionalized.