12 tips for conducting an organizational communication assessment within medical education

Abstract

Understanding the flow of communication is vital for the health and longevity of any organization-- public or private. Poor organizational communication can lead to employee dissatisfaction, high turnover, and dissolution of a program, unit or an entire entity. While Medical Education Programs are tied to higher education, the unique way that they run lends itself to organizational communication vulnerabilities. Medical Colleges require the same higher educational oversight, while their teachers, researchers, mentors, and stakeholders are often tied to hospitals and clinical networks that create complexity in job roles, responsibilities, and identities. All the while, medical students are the input and output for the whole of the operation. Making sure that the flow of communication and the understanding each person has on their place within the College is key to student success and the overall success of the program. The best way to ensure that this is being done is through organizational communication assessments. This paper provides 12 tips on how these assessments can be completed holistically and effectively in the complex world that is medical education.