Special training by KUHS to Kerala PG entrants on Medical Ethics

Kochi: The academic session this year at Kerala University of Health Sciences(KUHS) incorporated medical ethics, communication skills and antibiotics policy as part of its training curriculum. Thrissur Medical College became the first recipient of this training recently.

The university's conclusion that the lack of proper communication skills is the primary reason for the deteriorating patient doctor relationships has made it introduce training for all PG entrants in this direction. The health university in order to improve the situation will be holding these training sessions in both government and private medical colleges of the state.

The induction program for PG students generated an awareness in them on Medical ethics as per the Medical Council of India norms along with communication skills and handling of doctor patient equations. Discussions were also organized on medico legal issues and the antibiotics policy.

"These programmes are aimed at reducing the gap between the doctor and patients and regain people's trust in the doctor and healthcare system," said KUHS Governing Council Member, Dr K Mohanan.

The communication skills training involved teaching students how to effectively communicate the patient's condition, type of treatment planned, alternative available, and complications arising.The students are also to be taught how to communicate negative or bad news regarding patient health to himor her or his relatives.

The Indian Medical Association expressed its satisfaction on the KUHS initiative in this regard for the present academic year. Issues like proper communication skills, medical negligence, and documentation as well as awareness about antibiotic misuse are issues that IMA has been promoting amongst its members.

"Junior resident orientation programme should be part of any residency programme. It will give an orientation to young PG students in better patient-doctor communication, which is the route cause of many litigations. Such training should be undertaken by all health professionals with periodic updating. Also, there should have been a session on stress management as well, which would have equipped the young doctors to cope with the strenuous work and training they have to undergo for the next three years," added IMA (Kerala chapter) President, Dr V G Pradeep Kumar to the TOI.