A Curriculum Innovation on Writing Simulated Patient Cases for Communication Skills Education.

Introduction: Facilitated communication practice with simulated patients (SPs) is a highly effective form of communication training. Unfortunately, little guidance exists on writing SP cases.

Methods: We created a curriculum composed of a case-development workbook and case-writing session with input from national communication educators.

Communication skills training in surgical residency: a needs assessment and metacognition analysis of a difficult conversation objective structured clinical examination.

Background: The objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) can be used to evaluate the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education Core Competencies of Professionalism and Interpersonal and Communication Skills. The aim of this study was to describe general surgery resident performance on a "difficult conversation" OSCE.

Methods: In this prospective study, junior and senior residents participated in a 2-station OSCE.

Undertreatment of symptoms in patients on maintenance hemodialysis.

Context: Hemodialysis patients suffer a large symptom burden, and little is known about how effectively symptoms are treated.

Objectives: To assess the management of treatable symptoms in hemodialysis patients, we administered a 30-item questionnaire on physical and emotional symptoms to patients receiving outpatient hemodialysis at the University of Virginia.

Methods: We asked patients whether they were prescribed therapy for potentially treatable symptoms and assessed who prescribed the therapy.