Teaching medical interviewing. A basic course on interviewing and the physician-patient relationship

Recent advances in educational theory and methodology have made it possible to teach medical interviewing with as much rigor as other clinical skills. We describe a first-semester, first-year medical student course that effectively teaches basic interviewing skills. This course provides faculty development, small group learning, detailed faculty and student coursebooks, and an interview checklist that delineates specific interviewing skills and content areas, serving as a template for teaching, practice, and feedback. Students have many opportunities for practice in role play and with patients, followed by feedback by self, peers, and faculty. Use of audiotape and videotape reviews enhances the learning experience. This article describes our course, suggests educational principles and standards for the teaching of medical interviewing, and presents educational research demonstrating significant gains in students' skills associated with improvement in standardized patient satisfaction.