Communicator

Definition

To provide humane, high-quality care, the fellow must establish effective relationships with patients, other physicians, and other health professionals. Communication skills are essential for obtaining information from, and conveying information to patients and their families. Furthermore, these abilities are critical in eliciting patients’ beliefs, concerns, and expectations about their illnesses, and for assessing key factors impacting on patients’ health.

2.1 General Objectives

The fully-trained gynecologic oncologist must be able to:

  • establish therapeutic relationships with patients and their families characterized by understanding, trust, empathy, and confidentiality
  • obtain and synthesize relevant history from patients, families, and/or community
  • discuss appropriate information with the patient, her family, and other health care providers that facilitates optimal health care.  This also implies the ability to maintain clear, accurate, timely and appropriate records

2.2 Specific Objectives

To achieve these objectives as a communicator, the fellow must demonstrate:

  1. the ability to obtain informed consent for medical and surgical therapies
  2. the ability to record accurately and succinctly data collected from patients, laboratory tests and radiological studies and to communicate (oral or written) conclusions based on these data to patients and their families, referring physicians and other involved health care personnel
  3. evidence of good interpersonal skills when working with patients, families, and other members of the health care team
  4. an awareness of the unique personal, psychosocial, cultural and ethical issues that surround individual patients with oncologic problems
  5. the ability to prepare and present information to colleagues and other trainees (if applicable) both informally (e.g., ward rounds) and formally (e.g., Grand Rounds, scientific meetings)
  6. the ability to provide information to the general public and media about areas of local concern relevant to the practice of obstetrics and gynaecology