Insights
Research, analysis, and perspectives on communication training in medical education.
All Articles
What Programs Lost When Step 2 CS Disappeared, and What Hasn't Replaced It
USMLE Step 2 CS was permanently discontinued in 2021. Five years later, residency programs still have no standardized way to assess communication skills. Milestones 2.0 raised the bar, but gave programs no new tools to meet it.
The Faculty Hour Problem with Communication Remediation, and Why It Doesn't Scale
93% of residency programs face remediation, and communication is the hardest competency to fix. Each case consumes 25-75 faculty hours. Programs build their approach from scratch every time. The math doesn't work.
When Affirming Care Training Disappears, Simulation Has to Fill the Gap
A new AI simulation approach presented at IPSS Rome tackles the growing gap in transgender communication training for pediatric residents, where 60% of programs lack direct clinical exposure.
How to Design Effective OSCE Cases: A Practical Guide for Medical Educators
Proven strategies for creating OSCE cases that assess clinical competence. Practical frameworks, common pitfalls, and validation methods.
The ROI of Communication Training: By the Numbers
The business case for communication training is clear: reduced malpractice risk, improved HCAHPS scores, and better outcomes.
Where Medical Simulation Is Headed in 2026
From VR to AI voice agents, medical simulation technology is evolving rapidly. Heres what matters for 2026.
What Medical Learners Actually Want from AI Standardized Patients
New CHI 2026 research reveals six key requirements for AI-SP design—straight from the medical students who would use them.
End-of-Life Conversations: Practice Makes Progress
EOL conversations are low-frequency, high-stakes events. Traditional training models cant provide the practice clinicians need.
Breaking Bad News: The Skill No One Teaches
Breaking bad news is a core clinical skill — yet most clinicians have never practiced it before doing it for real.
The Scalability Problem with Standardized Patient Programs
Traditional SP encounters cost $150-300 each and can't scale to meet demand. Why AI augments — rather than replaces — existing simulation programs.
Why Communication Training Matters
Communication failures are the leading driver of malpractice claims, yet most clinicians receive minimal structured training. The gap between what's at stake and how we prepare is wider than most realize.