Seven Shan - Clinical communication skills for people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.

Physio Foundations

On this episode I had a conversation with recently graduated physiotherapist Seven Shan about her experiences studying, living and working in Australia as an international student, and now an Australian health professional. I asked Seven for her tips for success in study and work, particularly for international students or people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.

In this episode we discuss the Clinical Communication Support Program run by Jo-Anne Corbett and team at Monash Uni Physiotherapy and how Seven has developed her own clinical communication skills through her training and clinical practice.

This is a special episode for anyone who is studying, or working, overseas, and using a different language in their studies or work, to what they use at home, focusing on clinical communication skills.

In this episode

• 0:00 About this episode
• 2:20 Welcome Seven -background and interests.
• 4:15 What led you to study Physiotherapy in Australia?
• 6:55 What was it like when you first moved to Australia to study? Challenges and achievements, adapting to living and studying overseas
• 9:20 Challenges in communication when first moving to Australia to study
• 10:40 Group discussions - it can be difficult to comprehend, then translate, then contribute in group discussions, sometimes the conversation moves on without you
• 11:30 What tips and strategies could you give for develop interpersonal and clinical communication skills?
• 15:15 Tips for study for students – form a study group.
• 16:20 The Clinical Communication Support program at Monash Uni Physiotherapy with Jo Corbett – what made you want to attend these sessions? How did this training help you during your training and after graduation?
• 20:50 Getting feedback on clinical communication – how could you phrase questions differently, how to explain assessment findings to patients
• 22:54 Jargon. Words and phrases to avoid saying to patients.
• 27:38 The importance of practicing communication – moving from being highly focused to being automatic, through practice
• 31:06 How did clinical communication training help you when you went on clinical placements?
• 33:00 Study groups – including local and international students in your group
• 34:58 Learning the local culture and how this helps your clinical communication
• 36:20 Final thoughts – keep practicing with your friends and in the community, talk to lots of different people and keep practicing those communication skills

This is a discussion aimed at health professionals and health professional students. Always seek the guidance of a qualified health professional with any questions you may have regarding your health or a medical condition.

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Always seek the guidance of a qualified health professional with any questions you may have regarding your health or a medical condition.