Communication skills in a Lebanese Medical School: From movie theaters to medical classrooms

Background: Communication skills are widely taught in US medical schools, but in Lebanon, such teaching is in its infancy. Methods: At the American University of Beirut, we piloted a communication skills teaching package using video scenarios in Arabic. A total of 150 second-year medical students addressed eight communication issues in a 3-hour multi-method workshop that included watching and discussing video clips and role-playing. Results: Students evaluated the sessions positively for relevancy, quality of video clips, teaching methods, and usefulness for future practice. Conclusions: This interactive, role-playing workshop proved highly acceptable to Arab students and has been permanently incorporated into the curriculum.