Communication Skills for Final MB: A Guide to Success in the OSCE

This book is the winner of the BMA student textbook award in the BMA 2006 Book competition! It is highly commended in the basis of medicine category in the BMA 2006 Book competition! This new book, by the authors of the student examination book Final MB, is designed to give a light and user-friendly approach to the difficult subject of passing tests of communication skills in final examinations. The increasing recognition of the importance of this topic has led to a greater awareness of the intricacies of communicating successfully and effectively with both patients and colleagues. This book will help all students prepare adequately for success in this crucial test of their clinical skills.

Table of Contents:
Part 1 INTRODUCTION The most important chapter in the book! Different types of scenario Different types of patient The Actor-patient's perspective Marking schedules Part 2 DISCUSSING DIFFICULT SITUATIONS Breaking bad news - the basics Discussing resuscitation status Part 3 INFORMATION GIVING Explaining a procedure/informed consent Discussing a new medicine with a patient Part 4 DISCUSSING TREATMENT ISSUES Sexual issues Epilepsy and driving Discussing dialysis with a patient Part 5 TAKING A FOCUSSED HISTORY Anaemia Jaundice Chest pain Headache Pruritus Syncope Pyrexia of unknown origin Fever on return from abroad Shortness of breath Suicide risk Alcohol history Weight loss Tired all the time Haematuria Occupational illness Nocturnal cough Acromegaly Haematemesis Haemoptysis Abdominal pain Rectal bleeding The nightmare scenario Index

Review :
Aimed at senior medical students, this book is a god-send and explores virtually all likely scenarios for almost guaranteed exam success...The lay-out and style are excellent... I cannot praise this book enough: concise yet comprehensive, relevant and pocket-sized; not only designed to make you a good student and pass your exams, but to be a good doctor. Medical Student, Imperial College, UK This short text on communication skills is a welcome addition to the myriad books available for help with OSCEs in that its informal style and text-features make it informative while remaining an enjoyable read. The book aims to build up a student's ability to communicate solely to pass their exams (but not to teach communication skills per se) and makes note of common pitfalls so that the reader can actively avoid them. It starts off by describing different types of scenario and patients that we can come across in exams which, when combined, amount to describing practically all eventualities. The quotes from actor-patients which follows will surely inspire any student wishing to improve their examination ability. Welcome features of the book include: lists of essential skills (what we need to know for the scenario) think lists (so we can focus and have a rough direction to go in) example answers (wish mine went as smoothly!) fact sheets (so we don't have to go and trawl through books to look for it) These make this a truly wonderful book and I would strongly recommend it. Medical Student, University of Liverpool, UK Communication skills are being increasingly examined in medicine, and this book is a nice praecis of the most important issues that one will encounter in the OSCEs and as a doctor...well-written, easy to read, and emphasizes and re-iterates the salient (and essential) points of dealing effectively with patients. Medical Student, Cambridge University, UK ...medical students would benefit greatly if this textbook was recommended to supplement what we learn during the limited communication sessions arranged for students Medical Student, University of East Anglia, UK