Integrating clinical communication with clinical reasoning and the broader medical curriculum

ObjectiveThe objectives of this paper are to discuss the results of a workshop conducted at EACH 2012. Specifically, we will (1) examine the link between communication, clinical reasoning, and medical problem solving, (2) explore strategies for (a) integrating clinical reasoning, medical problem solving, and content from the broader curriculum into clinical communication teaching and (b) integrating communication into the broader curriculum, and (3) discuss benefits gained from such integration.MethodsSalient features from the workshop were recorded and will be presented here, as well as a case example to illustrate important connections between clinical communication and clinical reasoning.ResultsPotential links between clinical communication, clinical reasoning, and medical problem solving as well as strategies to integrate clinical communication teaching and the broader curricula in human and veterinary medicine are enumerated.ConclusionParticipants expressed enthusiasm and keen interest in integration of clinical communication teaching and clinical reasoning during this workshop, came to the idea of the interdependence of these skills easily, and embraced the rationale immediately.Practice implicationsValuing the importance of communication as clinical skill and embracing the interdependence between communication and thought processes related to clinical reasoning and medical problem solving will be beneficial in teaching programs.