Open AccessTeaching consultation skills in general practice: how to avoid the 'Pygmalion effect’'
Author(s) -
Peggy Nightingale
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
morecambe bay medical journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2634-0631
pISSN - 1466-707X
DOI - 10.48037/mbmj.v3i7.614
Subject(s) - general partnership , subject (documents) , theme (computing) , medical education , work (physics) , general practice , medicine , psychology , nursing , family medicine , political science , computer science , engineering , mechanical engineering , library science , law , operating system
There are two main aims of GP training:
1 To produce doctors who will analyse their work critically and continue to update their practice to meet standards based on the best available evidence.
2 To equip doctors with the skills and attitudes required to consult with patients in a way that maximises the chance of the patient benefiting from the doctor' s medical expertise.
In this article I shall concentrate on the second aim and explain why there is such a great emphasis on teaching the art of consultation in GP training. The subject is very topical. The BMJ on 18th September 1999 had a theme issue exploring the ways doctors may consult with patients, in which most of the authors are committed to the idea of doctor working 'in partnership' with patients to address their health needs. This very much supports the approach used in modern GP training.