Assessment of communication skills.

Objective: This paper addresses how communication skills can best be assessed. Since assessment and learning are strongly connected, the way communication skills are best learned is also described.

Results: Communication skills are best learned in a longitudinal fashion with ample practice in an authentic setting. Confrontation of behavior initiates the learning process and should be supported by meaningful feedback through direct observation. When done appropriately a set of (learned) communication skills become integrated skilled communication, being versatilely used in purposeful goal-oriented clinical communication. The assessment of communication skills should follow a modern approach to assessment where the learning function of assessment is considered a priority. Individual assessments are feedback-oriented to promote further learning and development. The resulting rich information may be used to make progression decisions, usually in a group or committee decision.

Conclusion: This modern programmatic approach to assessment fits the learning of skilled communication well.

Practice Implications: Implementation of a programmatic assessment approach to communication will entail a major innovation to education.