SHM Converge Scientific Abstract ePoster Gallery-Using Constructivism to Teach Relationship-Centered Care to International Medical Students

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The document describes a 3-hour Relationship-Centered Care (RCC) workshop created for international medical graduates (IMGs) at a Turkish medical school as part of a week-long seminar series. The workshop was designed in response to the challenge that IMGs often face when adapting to U.S.-based training and practice, especially around communication and cultural expectations in care.<br /><br />The educational approach was grounded in constructivism and experiential learning, using tools such as relationship mapping and peer role play. Participants practiced an outpatient encounter focused on understanding a patient’s ideas, concerns, and expectations, with the goal of improving empathy, open-ended questioning, and attention to patient perspectives.<br /><br />The poster reports strong participant reactions: 100% of respondents to a post-intervention satisfaction survey said the facilitator supported and respected learners, creating a safe learning environment. Five months later, narrative responses about RCC frequently used identity-related terms such as Ethiopian, Somali, Yemeni, Jordanian, Pakistani, Palestinian, African, Iranian, Syrian, Asian, White, Middle Eastern, Arab, and Turkish, suggesting that participants were reflecting on cultural and identity differences in care.<br /><br />Overall, the workshop appears to have been well received and aimed to help IMGs better understand and apply RCC principles to improve patient outcomes through more relational, culturally sensitive communication.

Asset Subtitle

Bernard A. Landry-Wegener

Meta Tag

Author List Bernard A. Landry-Wegener, James T. Boothe, Zishan Siddiqui

Category Innovations

Concept Relationship-Centered Care

Concept Open-Ended Question

Concept Empathy

Concept Patient Perspective

Concept Patient Outcomes

Distinguished Non-Finalist

Presenter Organization Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

Presenting Author Bernard A. Landry-Wegener

Track Communication

Keywords

Relationship-Centered Care

international medical graduates

medical education

cultural competence

patient communication

constructivism

experiential learning

role play

empathy

patient-centered care

Relationship-Centered Care

Open-Ended Question

Empathy

Patient Perspective

Patient Outcomes