Implementation Manual for the University of Minnesota Family Conference OSCE: An Assessment of Physicians' Professionalism and Interpersonal and Communication Skills in Discussing “Bad News”

Abstract Introduction This resource is an objective structured clinical exam (OSCE) developed to assesses physician trainee's interpersonal and communication skills and overall professionalism in delivering bad news. Methods This OSCE consists of two 20-minute, standardized encounters with simulated family members. One focuses on end-of-life decisions, the other on the disclosure of an iatrogenic complication. Both encounters include two trained standardized patients (SPs) portraying family members, standardized cases, and evaluation rating forms that are completed by the trainee, the SPs, and by two clinical raters. Results This OSCE has been administered six times to a total of 175 trainees at various levels, including residents in their first, second, third, and fourth years. Results suggest that, assuming standardized settings and training protocols are in place, this OSCE provides reliable assessments suitable for formative evaluation of trainees' interpersonal communication skills and professionalism, as evidenced in two types of difficult conversations in critical care. Discussion Originally created for training surgical critical care fellows, this resource is one of the few known OSCEs designed to measure interactions with family members, as opposed to patients. We feel this material could also be used with more advanced trainees and as part of faculty development