Communication Skills: The Silent Weapon of a Successful Physician

Why communication?

Recent studies confirm that more than 70% of complaints against physicians stem from a communication issue, not a clinical skills gap. Communication is no longer optional — it is a legal and professional necessity.

The Calgary–Cambridge model

This is the most globally adopted model for teaching medical communication. It divides the encounter into five phases: initiating the session, gathering information, examining, explaining and planning, closing the session.

Practical tips

• Open the encounter with an open question and avoid interrupting in the first minutes.
• Reflect the patient's feelings ("I can see this worries you...").
• Summarize what you understood at the end and confirm the patient understands the plan.
• Avoid jargon; use drawings if needed.

Patients do not care how much you know until they know how much you care.