Communication Cornerstones (1-2-1 sessions)

Your relationships with clients and colleagues form a huge part of how you experience your workplace. If you find aspects of communication in practice challenging, or you struggle to manage demands from both clients and colleagues, it can be frustrating and make your interactions feel stressful and draining.

Research tells us that improving communication increases client compliance with treatment recommendations, boosts our own satisfaction with our role and reduces burn out¹, so understanding and working on your communication is a lifelong commitment to yourself.

By focusing on and analysing the feedback provided during real-life interactions, all with a supportive mentor from VDS Training, our Communication Cornerstones sessions will help you identify your specific challenges and develop a more rewarding and effective approach.

Would you like to:

Manage complex communication issues facing you in practice?

Receive support to empathetically manage challenging interactions, with specific language and behaviour recommendations?

Create an environment where your client feels heard and your conversations have more positive outcomes?

Develop more satisfying relationships in practice with both colleagues and clients?

Is this course for me?

The 1-2-1 communication skills sessions are suitable for any veterinary professional who deals with clients and works in interprofessional teams, including veterinary surgeons, RVNs and other team members.

What will I learn?

• Guided by experienced VDS Trainers, you will choose your own specific learning outcomes and goals relating to communication in veterinary practice
• Recognise your own communication strengths and challenges
• Identify the knowledge and strategies needed to achieve these goals and how to incorporate these into your practice
• Reduce frustrating communication and learn to adapt and enhance your style to have more effective and satisfying interactions

What can I expect?

• One 90-minute1-2-1 session, followed by two further 60-minute sessions, held online and spaced 2-3 weeks apart
• 1-2-1 training uniquely tailored to your needs, flexible, adaptable and personalised to your specific interpersonal communication needs
• Developmental and constructive feedback on real-life interactions in an objective, supportive and compassionate way
• Approximately 7 hours CPD (3.5 hours contact time plus study time)

¹Cake et al., (2016) Which professional (non-technical) competencies are most important to the success of graduate veterinarians? A Best Evidence Medical Education (BEME) systematic review: BEME Guide No. 38, Medical Teacher, 38:6, 550-563