Impact of workshop on students' and physicians' rejecting behaviors in patient interviews

Abstract

The "dehumanization" process is often documented among medical students during their clinical clerkship and among physicians. This dehumanization is characterized by an increase in rejecting behaviors (manifested by sarcasm, verbal rejection, contempt, evading eye contact, and ignoring patients' verbal or nonverbal cues) and a decrease in supporting, empathic behaviors. In the study reported here, the authors observed rejecting behaviors during medical interviews and determined that participation in a workshop on supporting behaviors in the medical interview resulted in long-term decrease or abolishment of rejecting behaviors among medical students and physicians.