TY  - JOUR
A1  - ,  
T1  - The role of the anatomist in communicating Anatomy to a lay audience
JO  - Eur. J. Anat.
SN  - 1136-4890
Y1  - 2007
VL  - 11
SP  - 79
EP  - 83
UR  - http://www.eurjanat.com/web/paper.php?id=07S10079
KW  - clinical practice
KW  - communication skill
KW  - conference paper
KW  - health care personnel
KW  - medical assessment
KW  - medical education
KW  - medical information
KW  - medical school
KW  - medical specialist
KW  - medical student
KW  - scientist
N2  - The ability to communicate with the public is one of the essential tools by which an anatomist can enhance knowledge and understanding within the general population. Unfortunately, up until recently few scientists or health-care professionals have received much training in communicating science to a non-specialist audience, a surprising situation given the increasing demand from the public for more knowledge about health and science. The co-ordinators of undergraduate curricula have responded somewhat by increasing the time devoted to developing oral communication skills, however the ability to communicate by written means has not been widely explored. At a new medical school in the UK, we have introduced an assessment component directed at using the creation of lay statements as a strategy for providing accessible anatomically related information for a particular audience. Students were asked to respond to a letter from a member of the public regarding one of a number of clinical conditions by composing a short piece for a fictitious newspaper. When marked against a set of criteria, results showed that students had produced effective articles very much directed at the particular chosen audience. Students found the experience challenging yet one that enhanced their written communication skills and gave them the chance to think about what information to communicate. Overall this study demonstrates that such an assessment format is an effective way for students to start to develop professional competence through critical thinking and self-reflection and provides an opportunity for appreciating the skills necessary for adapting the written-word for a non-specialist audience.
ER  -