Use of Simulated Electronic Mail (E-mail) to Assess Medical Student Knowledge, Professionalism, and Communication Skills

作者：Christner Jennifer G^*; Stansfield R Brent; Schiller Jocelyn H; Madenci Arin; Keefer Patricia M; Pituch Ken

来源：Academic Medicine, 2010, 85: S1-S4.

DOI：10.1097/ACM.0b013e3181ed45f8

Background
Physicians communicate with patients using electronic mail (e-mail) with increasing frequency. Communication skills specific to e-mail do not appear to be taught explicitly in medical school. Therefore, the effect of an instructive session on effective e-mail communication was examined.
Method
Four simulated e-mails from a parent were developed. Students responded to an initial e-mail and then participated in a session on effective e-mail communication. Responses to a final e-mail were assessed using a rubric with subscores for medical knowledge, communication, and professionalism.
Results
Performance improved from the first to final e-mail response in the overall score and in each subscore. Improvement was sustained over the course of the academic year. Interrater reliability revealed good agreement.
Conclusions
Communicating effectively with patients via e-mail is not intuitive but can be taught. It is feasible to introduce responses to a simulated e-mail case in a clinical clerkship as an assessment tool.

• 出版日期2010-10