If you are not an English speaker appearing in MRCP PACES, this post is for you.
The biggest fear & challenge for an International Medical Graduate (IMG) in Communication Skills Station is maintaining a natural flow of conversation.
Being International Medical Graduate, for me, the biggest fear of PACES was not clinical examination or theoretical aspect of Medicine, rather it was ‘How to communicate smoothly with the patient in interactive stations where I have to listen to the patient, counsel him/her, at the same time keep the natural flow of conversation & let it progress in a logical way?’ Where I shall not focus on what I have to say but rather say it in a natural way – as we do it in our native languages.
The obvious solution is practice and a lot of practice. But when I started practicing, the thing which I needed most was ‘the fillers’ in between the sentences to fill the gaps that shall make the conversation more fluent, reasonable and natural. In this quest, I found many sentences in books and videos during preparation for the exam which helped me a lot. I am sharing these and you may find these worthy of your time as well. You can thank me later! 🙂
Enjoy Reading & Learning!
1. I am Dr…….. I believe you wanted to meet me regarding your mother/father.
2. May I confirm your ID details with you before we discuss ……
3. Yes, I am following you. If I were in your shoes, I most probably will do the same.
4. Mr…., with your investigations reports completed now, I am afraid I do have not good news for you … (pause, let patient absorb, and break bad news when asked by the patient- ‘What is it, doctor?’)
5. Do you want someone with you right now while we discuss your disease?
6. I understand that this isn’t what you wanted to hear. I wish the news was better … (patient/relative shocked and if weeping, offer tissue paper)
7. This must be a bit bewildering/overwhelming for you at the moment but are you following what I am trying to say?
8. I can understand your concern but let me assure you ….
9. This question is rather difficult for me to answer. Please let me discuss it with my consultant/senior and I shall get back to you.
10. We have been trying as best as we can, hoping that your mother will get better. Unfortunately …
11. I know it is rather too much to know in one sitting. If you have further questions, I will be available in the evening also today.
12. Do you have someone with you to drive you home today (this shall be asked after breaking the bad news to the patient/relative)
Let me know if this post has helped you. Share your experiences as well in the comments below so that I can update this post and make it even more useful for those who are struggling with the same problem.
Face your fears! Practice a lot with your friends at this station & You will Love yourself when seeing improvement.