Enhancing the relationship and improving communication between adolescents and their health care providers: A school based intervention by medical students

ObjectiveTo develop, implement and evaluate a workshop to help adolescents develop independent and active relationships with their physicians.MethodsA needs-assessment survey informed the development of a workshop delivered by medical student volunteers and incorporated into the career and personal planning curriculum of high schools in Vancouver, Canada.ResultsOver a 6-year period, 64 workshops were delivered by 181 medical students to 1651 high school students in six schools.ConclusionThe workshop is acceptable, do-able, effective and sustainable, characteristics that arise from the mutual benefits to all the groups involved: the medical school, the school board, the medical students, the high school teachers and students. The workshop provides a model for providing health care education to adolescents in the community.Practice implicationsTeaching adolescents the importance of good doctor–patient communication encourages them to take ongoing responsibility for their health care and is an alternative route to direct health care education.