Setting and Problem
Effective communication is a core competency for physicians1; however, formal communication training in residency remains limited, with few programs providing structured preparation for the broader range of interactions residents must navigate—from clinical care discussions to interdisciplinary teamwork and community engagement. This lack of training leaves residents to develop advanced communication skills through experience rather than guided practice.
Brief, structured, and interactive evidenced-based programs can help bridge these gaps. Such training can strengthen residents’ ability to communicate clearly across clinical, community, and interpersonal contexts—skills essential for improving trust, understanding, and collaboration in patient care.
Intervention
The University of Chicago Graduate Medical Education (GME) office partnered with a professional science communicator and private detective to develop communication training for residents grounded in the principles of communication science. The training was piloted in 2023 as a 1.5-hour session for advanced residents from multiple specialties. Based on feedback that the training would be valuable earlier in residency, it was adapted into a 1-hour session for all incoming postgraduate year (PGY) 1 residents in 2025. Both sessions required minimal faculty time and no additional cost beyond existing programming.
The objectives of the sessions were to strengthen trainees’ ability to communicate clearly across audiences and to apply evidence-based strategies for navigating difficult conversations, building trust, and fostering mutual understanding. While both sessions shared core objectives, incoming PGY-1 residents focused on foundational skills for early clinical communication, whereas advanced residents applied the same strategies to community engagement and addressing public misconceptions.
Sessions combined brief didactic components, small-group discussion, and active role play. At the start of each session, trainees identified communication hurdles common to their specialties that were then woven into tailored examples and discussions. Role-play exercises centered on realistic “nightmare scenarios” that trainees had experienced or anticipated. Trainees then alternated roles with facilitators to test strategies, receive feedback, and debrief on how to optimize responses using techniques drawn from hostage negotiator and customer service frameworks for de-escalation.2 These approaches emphasized stress inoculation, strategic use of open- and closed-ended questions, reframing, and rapport-building to foster trust, as well as the HEARD model (Hear, Empathize, Apologize, Resolve, Diagnose) to manage emotionally charged interactions without avoidance or defensiveness.
Outcomes to Date
In 2023, 22 advanced residents participated in the workshop, with 21 (95%) completing both pre- and post-session surveys. In 2025, 140 PGY-1 residents participated, with 81 (51%) completing both surveys. Surveys assessed self-reported confidence in applying evidence-based communication techniques to engage effectively with all audiences, rated on a 5-point Likert scale. Among trainees in 2023, confidence increased 1.45 points from pre- to post-session (t(20)=6.87; P<.001; Cohen’s d=0.95). Among trainees in 2025, confidence increased 1.04 points (t(80)=8.26; P<.001; Cohen’s d=0.92; see Table). Narrative feedback further supported translation to practice: One trainee reflected, “I will attempt to weave the art of storytelling into speaking with my patients to make a bigger impact,” while another described the training as “a fantastic idea for a workshop—easily the most memorable and interesting of the day, and will probably make…an impact on my future patients.”
Table.
Change in Self-Reported Confidence in Applying Evidence-Based Communication Techniques to Engage Effectively with Audiences from Pre-Session to Post-Sessiona
| Session (N) | Pre-Session Mean (SD) | Post-Session Mean (SD) | Pre-Session to Post-Session Change (P value, Cohen’s d) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 (21) | 2.40 (1.19) | 3.85 (0.88) | 1.45 (<.001, 1.54) |
| 2025 (81) | 3.21 (0.99) | 4.16 (0.64) | 1.04 (<.001, 1.04) |
Participants rated this statement on a 5-point Likert scale (1=Not at all Confident, 5=Extremely Confident).
To our knowledge, this is the first initiative to systematically integrate principles of science communication into GME. Together, these findings demonstrate that a brief, structured, and interactive workshop can meaningfully enhance residents’ confidence in communicating information across audiences. The program was well received across levels of training and specialties, required minimal resources, and aligned easily with existing curricula. As such, it represents a feasible and reproducible model for incorporating communication science into residency education to strengthen trust, understanding, and engagement between physicians and the communities they serve.
References
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- 2.Grubb AR. In: The Rowman & Littlefield Handbook of Policing, Communication, and Society. Giles H, Maguire ER, Hill SL, editors. Rowman & Littlefield; 2021. Chapter 18: Understanding the communication dynamics inherent to police hostage and crisis negotiation; pp. 275–296. [Google Scholar]