Cochrane · systematic review · CD012418
Interventions for improving medical students' interpersonal communication in medical consultations
Gilligan, C, Powell, M, Lynagh, MC, et al. · Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews · 2021 · Cochrane Library
Consumers and CommunicationAMSTAR 2: not assessed
SoF tableOnly the outcomes this review put in its Summary of Findings table are listed (the Cochrane Handbook caps them at about seven per comparison). Its other analyses are not shown here.
Questions
28
current version
GRADE rated
20
No studies
8
Included studies
NR
No studies 8 · 28.6%Ungraded 0 · 0%Very low 6 · 21.4%Low 11 · 39.3%Moderate 3 · 10.7%High 0 · 0%
Ungraded means an effect was reported without a GRADE rating; it is not a gap. No studies means the review found nothing to answer the question. The six categories are a display order, not a score.
Questions and results
Summary of findings
Population: pre‐registration medical students
| Outcome | Effect | Evidence | Status / GRADE |
|---|---|---|---|
Overall communication skills Different scales used by different studies: total scores vary across communication items or average score on a Likert scale Based on assessments occurring immediately and up to 12 months after intervention delivery | no estimate extracted | 18 studies · 1356 participants | Low Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision, inconsistency, publication bias |
Empathy Different scales used by different studies: average empathy score across several items or average score on a 5‐ to 9‐point Likert scale Based on assessments occurring immediately and up to 12 months after intervention delivery | no estimate extracted | 6 studies · 831 participants | Low Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision, inconsistency, publication bias |
Relationship building/rapport Different scales used by different studies: average empathy score across several items or average score on a Likert scale Based on assessments occurring immediately and up to 12 months after intervention delivery | no estimate extracted | 9 studies · 834 participants | Low Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision, inconsistency, publication bias |
Information gathering about patient perspectives/concerns Different scales used by different studies, some dichotomous outcomes Based on assessments occurring immediately and up to 12 months after intervention delivery | no estimate extracted | 5 studies · 405 participants | Moderate Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision, inconsistency, publication bias |
Explanation and planning (information giving) Different scales used by different studies, some dichotomous outcomes Based on assessments occurring immediately and up to 12 months after intervention delivery | no estimate extracted | 5 studies · 695 participants | Very low Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision, inconsistency, publication bias |
Specific communication techniques Different scales used by different studies, some dichotomous outcomes Based on assessments occurring immediately and up to 12 months after intervention delivery | no estimate extracted | 5 studies · 371 participants | Low Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision, inconsistency, publication bias |
Adverse events | no estimate extracted | NR | No studies |
Summary of findings
Population: pre‐registration medical students
| Outcome | Effect | Evidence | Status / GRADE |
|---|---|---|---|
Overall communication skills Different scales used by different studies: total scores vary across communication items or average score on a Likert scale Based on assessments occurring immediately and up to 12 months after intervention delivery | no estimate extracted | 4 studies · 1578 participants | Very low Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision, inconsistency |
Empathy Different scales used by different studies: average empathy score across several items or average score on a 5‐ to 9‐point Likert scale Based on assessments occurring immediately and up to 12 months after intervention delivery | no estimate extracted | 3 studies · 421 participants | Low Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision, inconsistency |
Relationship building/rapport Different scales used by different studies: average empathy score across several items or average score on a Likert scale Based on assessments occurring immediately and up to 12 months after intervention delivery | no estimate extracted | 3 studies · 176 participants | Moderate Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision, inconsistency |
Information gathering about patient perspectives/concerns | no estimate extracted | 1 study · 164 participants | Very low Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision, inconsistency |
Explanation and planning (information giving) | no estimate extracted | 1 study · 122 participants | Low Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision, inconsistency |
Specific communication skills | no estimate extracted | 6 studies · 427 participants | Very low Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision, inconsistency |
Adverse events | no estimate extracted | NR | No studies |
Summary of findings
Population: pre‐registration medical students
| Outcome | Effect | Evidence | Status / GRADE |
|---|---|---|---|
Overall communication skills Different scales used across studies: total scores vary across communication items or average score on a Likert scale Based on assessments occurring immediately and up to 12 months after intervention delivery | no estimate extracted | 6 studies · 502 participants | Moderate Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision |
Empathy | no estimate extracted | 1 study · 66 participants | Low Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision |
Relationship building/Rapport | no estimate extracted | 1 study · 190 participants | Very low Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision |
Information gathering about patient perspectives/concerns | no estimate extracted | 1 study · 48 participants | Low Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision |
Explanation and planning (information giving) | no estimate extracted | NR | No studies |
Specific communication skills | no estimate extracted | 1 study · 100 participants | Low Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision |
Adverse events | no estimate extracted | NR | No studies |
Summary of findings
Population: pre‐registration medical students
| Outcome | Effect | Evidence | Status / GRADE |
|---|---|---|---|
Overall communication skills Different scales used by different studies: total scores vary across communication items or average score on a Likert scale Based on assessments occurring immediately and up to 12 months after intervention delivery | no estimate extracted | 4 studies · 637 participants | Very low Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision, inconsistency |
Empathy | no estimate extracted | 2 studies · 213 participants | Low Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision, inconsistency |
Relationship building/Rapport | no estimate extracted | NR | No studies |
Information gathering about patient perspectives/concerns | no estimate extracted | NR | No studies |
Explanation and planning (information giving) | no estimate extracted | NR | No studies |
Specific communication skills | no estimate extracted | 1 study · 120 participants | Low Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision, inconsistency |
Adverse events | no estimate extracted | NR | No studies |