Becoming an effective physician involves more than learning to recognize and treat diseases. Medicine is a fundamentally human profession that requires effective communication with patients and coworkers to achieve a high standard of care.
Almost all medical schools recognize the importance of these other aspects of medicine, including the ability to empathize with patients, to both give and follow directions in high-stakes situations and to write clearly and concisely. Medical school admissions committees value candidates who have developed their communication skills throughout their undergraduate years.
In addition to earning high marks in your prerequisite classes, pay close attention to sharpening your listening, nonverbal and writing faculties as you near the med school application and interview time frame. Here are three tips to further refine these vital communication skills.
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1. Listening: In our technology-rich world, the art of listening can seem lost as we split our attention between backlit screens and face-to-face interaction. Medicine requires you to give your full attention to the person in front of you — whether that individual is the attending for a third-year rotation, a patient or a fellow student.
Luckily, you can easily integrate the process of cultivating your listening skills into daily life. For example, to limit the time your attention is divided, set your smartphone aside while out with a friend. Commit to having conversations where you ask five or more questions, and try to remember the other person’s answers.
More formally, you can strengthen listening skills via a range of opportunities available to undergraduates and those in gap years. Many universities offer positions in peer support as a tutor or resident assistant or through volunteer programs that aim to help students adjust to college or confront difficult situations.
Outside of school, volunteering in nursing homes or other long-term care facilities gives prospective medical students the opportunity to develop relationships based on listening and empathizing with patients.
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After developing your listening skills, you might subsequently display them as you interview at medical schools by asking your interviewer questions based upon his or her previous statements, as well as by getting to know the fellow applicants with whom you are interviewing. Showing interest in the people with whom you have contact is perhaps the best way to demonstrate that you are a great listener who is prepared for the communication challenges of medical school.
2. Nonverbal communication: Great nonverbal communication aligns your words with your body language, and in medicine, that combination should convey a trustworthy, open and well-informed impression.
Most people are guilty of poor body language at times — crossing your arms or standing with hands on your hips are both comfortable postures, but using proper body language during a medical school interview is a must. For example, you should avoid crossing your arms and slouching. Instead, consider leaning slightly toward your interviewer throughout your meeting .
Opportunities to develop nonverbal communication skills include joining improv groups, enrolling in a speech class and competing in public speaking events. Forensic public speaking and debate clubs are fantastic venues for you to practice conveying a point or emotion to an audience using both your words and your body language.
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Ongoing courses, such as acting or speech classes, allow you to develop your nonverbal skills without the pressure of competition. You might also strengthen your nonverbal communication in your daily life by being mindful of how you are standing or sitting when talking to another person. Check in with yourself several times a day to determine if your actions and words are aligned the way they’ll need to be during your medical school interviews and down the road when you speak to patients.
3. Writing: Many prospective medical students do not immediately realize how clear and effective writing skills will aid their future careers. Whether authoring a paper on the results of a research project or case or simply writing a letter for a patient to state medical fitness, your ability to convey your opinions and findings accurately is of utmost importance.
Most colleges require students to take a writing class during their freshman year, and many medical schools require prospective students to have taken at least one semester of English prior to matriculation. These bare-bones writing requirements may not be enough for you to hone yourself as a writer, however; and before you put pen to paper to write your medical school personal statement, you should ensure that your writing skills are in top shape for admissions success.
You can improve your writing skills by writing more often. Commit to writing a journal entry each day, for example, or perhaps start a blog on a subject that interests you. You might even consider working as a freelance writer — even if your work is not paid, the editorial feedback you receive can be valuable as you develop your writing skills.
You can also consider enrolling in writing-intensive courses that span disciplines so that you are able to write well on a variety of topics. Pay close attention to your professors’ feedback on your papers, and make appointments with your instructors to discuss how you can further strengthen your writing.
On your medical school application, show your writing prowess in your personal statement and secondary essays and in the three most important activities portion of the American Medical College Application Service application work and activities section.
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Cultivate Communication Skills for Med School Admissions Success originally appeared on usnews.com
