Basic Interviewing Skills for Medical Students

There are three primary purposes to this booklet. The first is to introduce you to the basic tenets of professionalism. The second is to provide an introduction to the general orientation toward patient care that we teach here at the FSU College of Medicine. This is a patient-centered form of care, with an emphasis on the biopsychosocial model of health and illness. The third purpose is to provide an introduction to some of the specific skills necessary to conduct effective patient interviews. Although these three areas may seem distinct from one another, in fact they are deeply intertwined. We strongly encourage you to approach these three domains in an integrated fashion. You will have many opportunities to practice the skills described in this booklet. For example, we frequently use role-playing exercises to give you a chance to practice the skills that are necessary to conduct effective medical interviews. In these exercises, you will have the opportunity to interact with your classmates, medical school faculty, and trained "standardized patients" in pre-defined scenarios. Although this might initially feel awkward, research demonstrates that these types of learning experiences can be very valuable for those who take them seriously. The more you practice the more effective you will be when you do the "real thing." You will also be expected to behave in a professional manner from your first day as a medical student. It is important that you take this aspect of your education seriously. Professional behavior is fundamental to good medical practice, and the time to begin acting professionally is now. Your understanding of the skills and approaches outlined in this booklet, and your ability to use them, will be assessed frequently throughout your training as a student at FSU College of Medicine. We are confident that these skills and approaches to the practice of medicine will help you become a confident and effective interviewer.