Enhancing Communication in Medical Education: A Competency-Based Approach for Madhesh Province, Nepal

Clinical knowledge, technical skills, and communication are all considered to be among the most important abilities for medical professionals. Good doctor-patient communication increases the precision of diagnosis and history taking, increases patient compliance with treatment, fosters trust, and eventually improves health outcomes. Additionally, studies demonstrate that effective communication lowers the likelihood of mishaps and workplace violence in hospitals, enhances teamwork among healthcare professionals, and decreases medical errors.Competency-based medical education (CBME) frameworks from the WHO, AAMC, and GMC (UK) place a strong emphasis on communication as a fundamental graduate outcome. Similar to this, communication skills are deemed an essential ability in Nepal by the Medical Education Commission (MEC) and Nepal Medical Council (NMC) accreditation criteria. Even with these policy pledges, there is still inconsistency in the systematic incorporation of communication training into undergraduateprograms.Interprofessional and doctor-patient communication is essential to safe, patient-centered care. Though systematic incorporation into the medical curriculum is still lacking, the different cultural and language situations in Madhesh Province necessitate customized communication training.This study aimed to assess the current state of communication skills training, explore perceptions of medical students and faculty, and propose strategies for curriculum integration aligned with national and international standards.This study will employ a mixed-methods approach to provide both breadth and depth in understanding the role of communication in medical education.A structured questionnaire survey will be distributed to undergraduate medical students and faculty at selected institutions in Madhesh Province. The questionnaire will assess perceptions, attitudes, and self-reported competence in communication skills, using validated tools (e.g., Communication Skills Attitude Scale – CSAS). Data will be analysed using descriptive statistics and inferential tests.This work addresses conference themes of competency-based education, curricular reform, and patient-centered health care. Embedding structured communication training in the Madhesh medical curriculum will enhance clinical competence, professionalism, and public trust in healthcare.