PURPOSE
Effective communication plays a vital role in physician-patient
interaction, helping patients understand their health and make informed
decisions. To support this goal, medical schools increasingly emphasize
patient-centered communication (PCC). One promising strategy is “live
drawing”, where clinicians sketch visuals while explaining medical
information. Although many clinicians use visuals as a communication tool in
practice, very few have been formally trained in effectively creating
drawings.
METHODS
To address this critical gap, a visual communication workshop was incorporated
into the Medical College of Georgia pre-clerkship curriculum. The workshop
addressed students’ lack of confidence, emphasizing that live drawing is not
about talent but about communicating information by combining imagery with
verbal explanation. After learning various techniques, students participated
in multiple role-playing exercises and applied these skills during a
standardized patient (SP) encounter. The workshop’s impact was assessed using
surveys administered before and after the workshop and after the SP
encounter.
RESULTS
Pre- and post-workshop survey results (n=132 and n=90, respectively) showed
a significant increase in students’ perceived value of drawing as a
communication method (p<0.05). Qualitative feedback supported these
findings and indicated improved confidence. Students highlighted the
usefulness of hands-on practice and structured guidance and expressed
interest in additional learning opportunities.
CONCLUSION
Our findings suggest that teaching live drawing is a practical and effective
method to enhance PCC education. Opportunities for improvement include
devoting additional instruction time and expanding practice scenarios. For
example, allocating more time to certain techniques may improve student
confidence in those areas, and additional practice scenarios could further
strengthen the experience. Given curricular time constraints, creation of an
elective could provide additional opportunities for interested students. Such
training could be valuable across medical schools and other healthcare
professions. Future research directions include assessing long-term impact on
students and exploration of patient perspectives.