gms | German Medical Science

In CSR track (communication - supervision - reflection) knowledge and the acquisition of practical skills are taught to measure physical, psychological, social and environmental data for a biopsychosocial ("holistic") diagnosis. The primary goal is to integrate the information processed into a multidimensional biopsychosocial (integrated) understanding of disease [1]. The main topics of the CSR curriculum are elaborating the principles of the biopsychosocial theory and a biopsychosocial understanding of illness and health, the facts on the doctor-patient interaction and its importance for problem solving and the basic rules for a (multi-)professional conversation. According to the three basics of Medicine (word - drug - knife), the associated roles (the doctor as a companion - the doctor as a catalyst - the doctor as a problem solver) and skills or competences (psychosocial competence - psychosomatic/psychotherapeutic competence - natural scientific competence) are acquired and internalized [2].

Knowledge, skills and competences are trained within the track KSR (MUG) (https://online.medunigraz.at/mug_online/webnav.ini):

Knowledge: Students should

1.

know the scientific principles of integrated medicine (biopsychosocial model),

2.

acquire knowledge of the communication-basics as theoretical foundations for professional medical conversation,

3.

learn conditions for the achievement of a cooperative doctor-patient relationship (aspects of the interaction design),

4.

recognize the importance of communicative aspects of a comprehensive, valid and reliable information gathering to form a "holistic" diagnosis,

5.

recognize the psychotherapeutic competence as an important factor in the clinical treatment.

Skills: The students should

1.

practice and have a good command of the basic rules for a professional medical conversation,

2.

learn practical skills of interviewing for the collection of physical, psychological and eco-social patient data (for a bio-psycho-social [ "holistic" or integrated] diagnosis),

3.

be able to detect and modify errors in communication and/or in interaction between doctor and patient,

4.

be able to apply internalized competencies of problem-solving to more complex situations.

Competencies: The students should perceive the patient as an object and as a subject. With regard to the individual environment the patient becomes the starting point and end point of medical activity.

The structure of KSR has been developed in order to achieve sustained success concerning the internalization of biopsychosocial competencies. The continual contact with multidimensional aspects of medical profession provides sustainable acquisition of knowledge, skills and motivation.