The ability to deal with client's feelings and values often is as important to success in resolving veterinary medical problems as the ability to diagnose and treat disease entities. Veterinarians who are unable to communicate effectively with clients find that proposed solutions to complex problems are not accepted and that instructions concerning patient care are not followed. The goals of VCM 384 are to assist the student in recognizing the importance of communicating effectively with clients, developing, applying and adopting "comfortable" interpersonal communication skills for interaction with clients in the practice of veterinary medicine, andd experiencing intrapersonal and interpersonal growth.
1. A. Introduction to VCM 384.
B. Grading and videotape assignments - analysis of videotape interviews.
C. Self evaluation.
D. The interview - principles of a good client interview, discussion of previous year's tapes.
2. A. Factors which influence sending and receiving messages: acceptance, respect, physical environment, proximity, jargon.
B. Employment interviews and preparing curriculum vitaes and resumes.
C. Assignment of first interview video taping.
3. A. Communicating: verbal domains (cognitive, affective), nonverbal.
B. Attentive listening: how communicated, facial expression and eye contact, body positions and movements, verbal responses.
C. Human-animal relationships.
D. Awareness videotapes.
E. Discussion of 1st videotape.
F. Assignment of 2nd videotape.
G. Written analysis of 1st videotape due.
4. A. Clients right to decision.
B. Conflict resolution.
C. Mourning for pets/death/euthanasia.
D. Discussion of 2nd videotaping.
E. Written analysis of 2nd videotapes due.
F. Curriculum vitae/resume due.
5. A. Responding to messages: nonverbal, verbal (empathy, silence), minimum verbal (restatement, paraphrassing, summarization).
