Design, Conduct and Evaluation of a Communication Course for Oncology Fellows.

Background. Training in the communication components of cancer care is necessary for the practice of oncology. We conducted a communication course for oncology fellows. Methods. Teaching methods included lectures, role playing and simulated patient interviews. We used self-reports, knowledge questionnaires and course/faculty evaluations. Results. A total of 17 fellows participated. Skills in dealing with bad news, denial and end-of-life issues improved. We obtained information on communication tasks commonly performed during patient interactions, various aspects of the course and faculty performance. Conclusions. Fellows' knowledge and self-efficacy improved postcourse. Information on challenges faced by trainees and their feedback may help focus the design of future courses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]