David Jobson wrote:
> ........... Teaching communication skills helps, but patients know that
they think some Docs are "good"
> and some "bad", and it has little to do with exam results, knowledge or
whatever.
Some I suggest will have the same skills as current incumbents of the post,
and to me it appears listening skills are the prerequisite for the job and
highly appreciated by patients. Curiously as a skill it appears not closely
related to whichever centric model of the consultation we are trying to be
today. Osler was right, history is diagnostic and examination mearly
confirmatory. Trouble is early in ones career one does not appreciate the
power of his observation. (He also said in a similar vein "Listen to the
patient he is telling you the diagnosis").
- -
Alistair
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