Translating medical documents into plain language enhances communication skills in medical students – A pilot study

•Medical students translate patients’ medical reports into plain language in a communication course.•The communication course includes also repeated exercise and peer supervision.•After course participation, students recognize medical jargon terms better.•After course participation, students show improved communication skills.•Translation exercises should be included in the undergraduate medical curriculum.

ObjectiveTo train and assess undergraduate medical students’ written communication skills by exercises in translating medical reports into plain language for real patients.Methods27 medical students participated in a newly developed communication course. They attended a 3-h seminar including a briefing on patient-centered communication and an introduction to working with the internet platform http://washabich.de. In the following ten weeks, participants “translated” one medical report every fortnight on this platform receiving feedback by a near-peer supervisor. A pre- and post-course assignment consisted of a self-assessment questionnaire on communication skills, analysis of a medical text with respect to medical jargon, and the translation of a medical report into plain language.ResultsIn the self-assessment, students rated themselves in most aspects of patient-centered communication significantly higher after attending the course. After the course they marked significantly more medical jargon terms correctly than before (p < 0.001). In a written plain language translation of a medical report they scored significantly higher with respect to communicative aspects (p < 0.05) and medical correctness (p < 0.001).ConclusionTranslating medical reports into plain language under near-peer supervision is associated with improved communication skills and medical knowledge in undergraduate medical students.Practice implicationsTo include translation exercises in the undergraduate medical curriculum.