PURPOSE
We taught medical students how to break bad news to medical students using the SPIKES protocol and investigated its efficacy.
METHODS
After developing the program, we taught the 16 medical students doing their family medicine rotation. We surveyed their self-reported performance prior to the teaching and their satisfaction and change in confidence level after the teaching. Using standardized patients(SP), we also analyzed the difference in clinical performance between educated and non-educated groups.
RESULTS
Students were satisfied with the education program and 12 students showed increased confidence levels. However, there was no difference in clinical performance between eduated and non-educated group, even after categorization of the exam.
CONCLUSION
Self-confidence for delivering bad news increased but there was no evidence of improvement in clinical performance. Communication skills training should be repeatedly performed in each medical educational curriculum.
