Communication skills in women's health care: helping students clarify values related to challenging topics in ob-gyn

Abstract

Describes a women's health curriculum for medical students, with the following goals: foster understanding of how biases may act as barriers to care; clarify values and strategize methods of meeting patients’ needs without compromising the provider’s values; offer opportunity for students to observe and critique counseling techniques used by experienced clinicians; review management options for patients faced with common, difficult situations; and, facilitate students’ confidence in dealing with similar situations in their later independent practice.