Restructuring the Evaluation Framework for Healthcare Professionals’ Communication Skills

This study aims to analyze the communication evaluation criteria outlined in the clinical skills examination guidelines for the National Medical Licensing Examination and to propose a restructured framework centered on communication behaviors to enhance the assessment of communication competencies. The research identifies critical issues in the current symptom-based evaluation framework, including omissions, redundancies, and ambiguities, and reorganizes the evaluation items based on core communication functions. Five key domains—medical history taking, explanation, persuasion, empathy and care, and relationship building—were delineated, with specific items articulated using precise and observable action verbs. The findings of this study provide a practical foundation for the assessment of communication skills in clinical practice examination. Additionally, they offer valuable insights for the development of evaluation tools and educational programs aimed at fostering effective medical communication. Future research should focus on validating the applicability of the proposed framework in clinical contexts and further advancing strategies to improve communication skills training and assessment for medical professionals.