Communicating with patients and families is essential for surgeons
Even minor operations can be overwhelming. FCS prepares surgeons to navigate ALL conversations with patients, from deciding whether to pursue surgery, delivering bad news, acute illness care, and informed consent for big and small procedures.
FCS focuses on three core skills
Attending to Emotion
The standard approach says that patients just need the facts to make rational decisions. The reality is that even minor operations evoke emotional distress. Recognizing and responding to emotion makes it easier to care for patients.
Supporting Deliberation
The standard approach is for surgeons to discuss surgery using complicated technical descriptions. The reality is that technical language can lead to misunderstanding and fails to address the patient’s goals for surgery.
Managing Uncertainty
The standard approach is for surgeons to use decontextualized language, presenting the hazards of treatment as discrete complications. The reality is that this language does not describe how a patient might experience treatment or downstream outcomes.
Attending to Emotion
The standard approach says that patients just need the facts to make rational decisions. The reality is that even minor operations evoke emotional distress. Recognizing and responding to emotion makes it easier to care for patients.
Supporting Deliberation
The standard approach is for surgeons to discuss surgery using complicated technical descriptions. The reality is that technical language can lead to misunderstanding and fails to address the patient’s goals for surgery.
Managing Uncertainty
The standard approach is for surgeons to use decontextualized language, presenting the hazards of treatment as discrete complications. The reality is that this language does not describe how a patient might experience treatment or downstream outcomes.
FCS engages residents to learn and practice communication skills
FCS focuses on drills, not didactics, involving role play, a card game, peer discussion, and targeted feedback. Learn more about the curriculum, our approach, research, and sign up to receive more information from the FCS team.
FCS engages residents to learn and practice communication skills
FCS focuses on drills, not didactics, involving role play, a card game, peer discussion, and targeted feedback. Learn more about the curriculum, our approach, research, and sign up to receive more information from the FCS team.
