That Vet Life

Last week on the pod I left you with the question of whether we can teach EMPATHY to medical professionals. The answer is a clear and resounding 'YES!' This week I walk you through one method of teaching that breaks it down into 7 topics and how they each impact how EMPATHY is portrayed in the client-doctor relationship. You can read through this study here:  A Tool to Enhance Nonverbal Communication Between Clinicians and Their Patients,  My favorite quote is from the second sentence of the abstract which states "Many articles do not address nonverbal interactions, instead focusing on “what to say” rather than “how to be.” This focus on verbal communication overlooks the essential role nonverbal signals play in the communication of emotions, which has significant effects on patient satisfaction, health outcomes, and malpractice claims." While it can be difficult to incorporate much of this into today's in-school veterinary education due to time constraints they are inextricably related to improved