Communication Skills Training for Behavioral Disorders. However, if there's flexibility given that "Behavioral Disorders" does not accurately represent the focus of this study (which is more about professional development than treating a clinical condition), an alternative title could simply reflect on enhancing professional skills without specifying a condition: Communication Skills Training for Career Development in Biomedical Fields

Overseen By Carrie Cameron

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: M.D. Anderson Cancer Center

Disqualifiers: High school students

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Approved in 1 Jurisdiction This treatment is already approved in other countries

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 2

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial aims to understand how communication skills training impacts career outcomes in biomedical fields. Participants will attend workshops to improve networking and presentation skills, and some will create a video about their research experiences. The goal is to assess how these activities influence career goals and persistence over time. Ideal participants are students or junior mentors actively involved in a structured summer research program. As an unphased trial, this study offers a unique opportunity to enhance professional skills and advance careers in the biomedical field.

Do I need to stop my current medications to join the trial?

The trial protocol does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications. It focuses on communication skills training, not medical treatment.

What prior data suggests that this communication skills training is safe for participants?

Research has shown that communication skills training is generally safe. Studies have found that this training helps people interact and work better together. No reports of serious negative effects from these sessions exist, indicating participants did not experience harm. Instead, they gained important skills like empathy and teamwork. Overall, communication training is well-received and enhances both personal and professional interactions. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Researchers are excited about this study because it's not your typical medical treatment trial. Instead, it's all about enhancing professional skills through communication workshops. Unlike standard career development programs that might focus on generic advice, this trial offers tailored workshops that emphasize conversational skills and creating a personal video about participants' research experiences. These unique elements aim to boost participants' engagement with their research and clarify their career intentions, potentially offering a new way for budding professionals in biomedical fields to advance their careers effectively.

What evidence suggests that this communication skills training is effective for career development?

Studies show that good communication skills can help individuals advance in their careers and maintain employment. Research indicates that people with these skills often earn more and progress faster in their careers. A review found that ongoing learning, such as communication training, helps individuals stay employed and take on new roles. The 2025 Workplace Learning Report highlights that improving communication skills can boost career growth and help organizations adapt. This trial will compare two approaches: Group I participants will engage in communication workshops focused on conversational skills and develop a video about their research experience, while Group II participants will attend generic communication workshops about networking and presentation skills. These findings suggest that communication skills training can improve career outcomes for students and professionals. ^{6 7 8 9 10}

Who Is on the Research Team?

Carrie Cameron

Principal Investigator

M.D. Anderson Cancer Center

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for undergraduate, medical students, or early Master's/PhD students in a summer research program with daily supervision from junior mentors. Junior mentors can be Master's/PhD students, postdocs, or instructors supervising a student. High school students cannot participate.

Inclusion Criteria

FOR SUMMER STUDENTS: Currently an undergraduate, medical student, or early Master's or Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) level student who is participating in a structured summer research program and receiving daily research supervision from a junior mentor (defined as a Master's or PhD level graduate student, a postdoctoral fellow, or an instructor) within a faculty member's research team

FOR JUNIOR MENTORS: Currently a Master's or PhD student; postdoctoral trainee; or instructor working within a faculty member's research team and supervising a summer research student

Exclusion Criteria

I am a high school student.

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Intervention

Participants complete 2 communication workshops about conversational skills and develop a video about the summer student's research experience. Surveys are completed before, after, and 6 months post-intervention.

9 months

2 workshops (in-person), multiple surveys (virtual)

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for long-term outcomes such as career persistence and network growth.

6 months

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Communication Skills Training

Trial Overview

The study examines the impact of communication skills training on career outcomes for trainees in biomedical fields. It includes educational interventions and surveys to understand factors influencing career persistence and goal achievement.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Group I (communication workshops, video, surveys) Experimental Treatment 3 Interventions

Participants complete 2 communication workshops about conversational skills and development of a video about the summer student's research experience over 3 hours each during the second week of the summer research experience and 2-3 weeks before the conclusion of summer experience. Participants also complete surveys over 15 minutes each about their communication, their engagement with research, mentoring experience, and current career intentions, before participating in the workshop, after the second workshop and at 6 months after the conclusion of the summer experience.

Group II: Group II (generic communication workshops, surveys) Active Control 2 Interventions

Participants complete 2 generic communication workshops about networking and presentation skills over 3 hours each during the second week of the summer experience and 2-3 weeks before the conclusion of summer experience. Participants also complete surveys over 15 minutes each about their communication, their engagement with research, mentoring experience, and current career intentions, before participating in the workshop, after the second workshop and at 6 months after the conclusion of the summer experience.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

M.D. Anderson Cancer Center

Lead Sponsor

Trials

3,107

Recruited

1,813,000+

National Cancer Institute (NCI)

Collaborator

Trials

14,080

Recruited

41,180,000+

Published Research Related to This Trial

Communication skills training in psychiatric specialty training has shown some positive effects, particularly in improving clinician empathy and psychotherapeutic interviewing skills, as evidenced by two randomized controlled trials.

However, the overall effectiveness of these training programs is difficult to assess due to the variety of training methods used and a lack of studies measuring actual behavior change or patient outcomes.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Communication skills in the training of psychiatrists: A systematic review of current approaches. Ditton-Phare, P., Loughland, C., Duvivier, R., et al.[2018]

The elective course 'Phoniatrics and Pediatric Audiology' was developed to teach medical students about communication disorders, covering essential topics like hearing, language, and voice, along with practical exercises and patient examinations.

A survey showed that 94.2% of students found the course useful for their future studies, and all participants felt their expectations were met, highlighting the course's potential to enhance understanding of communication disorders in medical education.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Development and evaluation of the new module 'communication disorders' in medical education. Deuster, D., am Zehnhoff-Dinnesen, A., Schmidt, CM., et al.[2014]

A pilot communication skills training program for psychiatry trainees significantly improved their confidence in discussing schizophrenia diagnosis and prognosis, with 38 participants reporting enhanced self-evaluation of their communication skills after the training.

Participants expressed high satisfaction with the training, indicating its potential effectiveness in bridging communication gaps between clinicians and patients with psychiatric disorders.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Improving clinician competency in communication about schizophrenia: a pilot educational program for psychiatry trainees. Loughland, C., Kelly, B., Ditton-Phare, P., et al.[2015]

Communication skills training in medical education should focus on clinical issues that are frequently encountered and have a significant impact on patient health, such as smoking and non-adherence to treatment.

The paper outlines seven criteria for selecting these issues, emphasizing the need for effective, cost-efficient interventions that are acceptable to both healthcare providers and patients.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Effective teaching of communication skills for medical practice: selecting an appropriate clinical context. Sanson-Fisher, R., Cockburn, J.[2019]

Mental health clinicians often struggle to communicate distressing diagnoses, like schizophrenia, to patients and their families, indicating a need for improved communication skills training in psychiatry.

The paper proposes a new communication skills training framework for psychiatry, modeled after successful programs in oncology, to enhance clinicians' ability to convey complex information effectively.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Communication skills in psychiatry training. Ditton-Phare, P., Halpin, S., Sandhu, H., et al.[2015]

Communication skills training for oncologists is essential for improving interactions with cancer patients, focusing on assessment, information sharing, and support to enhance both patient and staff quality of life.

Experiential and participative training techniques have proven effective, but challenges remain in maintaining and applying these skills in clinical practice over time.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

[Improving doctor's communication skills in oncology: review and future perspectives]. Libert, Y., Conradt, S., Reynaert, C., et al.[2009]

A provider communication skills training (CST) program that included in-person coaching significantly improved patient satisfaction scores, increasing from 73.9% to 79.5% after the program.

The addition of coaching helped reinforce skills learned in CST workshops, leading to greater confidence among healthcare providers in applying these skills in clinical practice.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Individualized coaching in health system-wide provider communication training. Pedersen, K., Brennan, TMH., Nance, AD., et al.[2021]

A training course in patient-centered interviewing significantly improved the performance of psychiatric residents, as evidenced by a structured analysis of their interviews with standardized patients (n=10) before and after the training.

Despite the improvement in performance, variability among residents increased post-training, suggesting that additional practice and supervision are needed to achieve consistent high-level interviewing skills.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The evaluation of training in patient-centred interviewing skills for psychiatric residents. Rimondini, M., Del Piccolo, L., Goss, C., et al.[2019]

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