LAUSR

I stand in front of a group of physicians at the beginning of a 2day communication skills course, hoping to lower their defenses, wanting them to be open to what we are about to do, feeling the tension between experience and room for improvement. I wonder if they are thinking, “What could she, a non-physician, possibly have to teach me about communication skills?” I wonder how I would feel if I were mandated to go to a course about a topic that I either felt I was already an expert on, or about something that I had been doing daily for many years. “Certainly you come here today with a lot of experience communicating with patients and families,” I begin. “We recognize that. Our hope for today is that you will be able to build upon the good things that you are already doing by trying new skills and strategies.”