Communication with patients as a problem in undergraduate medical education.

The work is based on the following concepts: communication with patients ceases being a matter of experience learning only (the trial and error method) and should become a part of systematic training; it should not be included only into continuous education of graduated physicians but must be gradually introduced into undergraduate education as well; it is not an optional activity which may but may not be performed by physicians, but it is a specific component of their clinical competence. Today attempts to instruct medical students in communication with patients and their relatives are being made at many medical schools all over the world. Reports on such instruction are, however, scattered in various journals or in internal publications published by universities, faculties and clinics.