Malcolm Gladwell commented in 2013, "We are living in an age in which words have triumphed." In the age of postmodern communication, the speed of information delivery and breadth of distribution makes the clarity of written communication critical. On a daily basis, people communicate and consume information in written forms, accessing information through social media, newsfeeds, and forums such as Reddit. The practice of medicine is evolving to match technology, and physicians often communicate with patients, colleagues, and society through writing. Whether through EMR systems, emails, or publication of research or opinion papers, physicians are expected to communicate clearly. However, in health professions education, formalized writing exercises are not always part of the core curriculum, and even when such writing exercises exist, they may not focus on writing mechanics. In addition, students may not receive training in writing in their pre-medical curricula and gaps can exist in their professional training. Our workshop will focus on the development and integration of writing assignments within the core curriculum and how these assignments can be used to develop students' writing and communication skills. Our team at Rocky Vista University includes a dedicated writing center coordinator who works with faculty to develop writing assignments, provides resources for writing, consults with students on an individual basis, and establishes evaluation standards.   
 

Session Objectives: