Teaching Medical Students to Communicate Uncertainty

• Activity Number: 435
• Type: Contributed
• Date/Time: Tuesday, August 6, 2013 : 2:00 PM to 3:50 PM
• Sponsor: Section on Teaching of Statistics in the Health Sciences
• Author(s): Philip Sedgwick*+ and Katherine Joekes and Angela Hall
• Companies: St. George's, University of London and St. George's, University of London and St. George's, University of London
• Keywords: Teaching ; Medical students ; Communication ; Statistical information ; Risk

Abstract

Statistics is core to the medical curriculum. Teaching focuses on probability, risk and making population inferences based on uncertainty. However, application will ultimately be to a patient. Therefore, doctors must communicate such information effectively for patients to be fully informed. Traditionally, little time has been given to teaching these skills in the UK curriculum. Summary: This presentation describes methods integrated into statistics teaching, used to raise students' awareness of challenges in communicating statistical information. One exercise involves students rating as a percentage nine commonly used qualitative descriptors of risk, in relation to a child being born with Down syndrome. For a recent cohort (n=104), results included "Rarely": mean(SD)=10.4%(7.1%), range=0 to 100%; & "Probably": 72.9%(10.9%), range=0 to 100%. Videos of patients describing their experiences are effective teaching tools. Group discussions encourage awareness of how statistics may be best communicated. Message: In the International Year of Statistics, it is vital that students are made aware of challenges in communicating statistical information.