Beyond the Checklist: Developing Effective Communication in a South African Multilingual Clinical Training Programme.
- 1Department of Biomedical and Clinical Technology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa.
- 2Department of Health Sciences Education; Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.
Abstract
Introduction
Effective communication is a core graduate attribute (GA) in health professions education, yet its development is fragmented and under-theorised in under-resourced and multilingual contexts, which are typical of the Global South, where postcolonial histories and structural inequities continue to shape educational practice.Method
We investigated how effective communication is understood, experienced and developed in a South African Clinical Technology programme, using a qualitative design underpinned by Engeström's Activity Theory as an interpretive lens. Interviews and focus groups were conducted with final-year students (n = 10), recent graduates (n = 5), academic educators (n = 4), and clinical educators (n = 6), and thematic analysis was applied.Results
Four themes emerged: (1) effective communication as a situated, adaptive practice; (2) Barriers to effective communication (linguistic, cultural, structural); (3) Role modelling and relational dynamics; and (4) Adaptability and resilience in workplace communication. Effective communication development was largely relational and experiential rather than shaped by formal curriculum, with students learning communication through immersion and mentorship amid systemic challenges. Structural misalignments between formal curricular goals and clinical realities constrained students' communication practice and confidence.Conclusion
For educators, the findings suggest practical steps: 1) reconceptualise effective communication as a situated, socially mediated practice; (2) embed multilingual and multimodal communication opportunities into routine clinical teaching and assessment; (3) strengthen alignment and dialogue between universities and clinical training sites; and (4) prioritise faculty development to support inclusive role modelling and psychologically safe learning environments. Re-conceptualising effective communication as a situated, socially mediated practice (instead of a generic skill), enables intentional curriculum design and assessment that better prepare graduates for the complex socio-cultural clinical environments of the Global South.
Related
- Developing a systems-based programme theory for reducing night-time interactive electronic device use and improving sleep among adolescents
- Immersion 360, a european patient-partnered research project aimed at developing communication skills in paediatrics and raising awareness of interprofessional collaboration practice in partnership.
- The SCAMP Research Challenge programme: Co-developing research with young people for young people.
- Implementing a co-designed communication training programme for non-Indigenous mental health professionals working with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander consumers in Queensland, Australia: protocol
- Leveraging digital and media literacy for effective health communication in maternal and HIV care during pandemics in Uganda
BibTeX
@article{prakaschandra2026beyond,
title = {{Beyond the Checklist: Developing Effective Communication in a South African Multilingual Clinical Training Programme.}},
author = {D R Prakaschandra and L McNamee and G Hendricks},
journal = {Medical science educator},
year = {2026},
month = jul,
doi = {10.1007/s40670-026-02816-2},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42968727},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Beyond the Checklist: Developing Effective Communication in a South African Multilingual Clinical Training Programme.
AU - D R Prakaschandra
AU - L McNamee
AU - G Hendricks
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/07/04
JO - Medical science educator
DO - 10.1007/s40670-026-02816-2
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42968727
AB - Introduction Effective communication is a core graduate attribute (GA) in health professions education, yet its development is fragmented and under-theorised in under-resourced and multilingual contexts, which are typical of the Global South, where postcolonial histories and structural inequities continue to shape educational practice.Method We investigated how effective communication is understood, experienced and developed in a South African Clinical Technology programme, using a qualitative design underpinned by Engeström's Activity Theory as an interpretive lens. Interviews and focus groups were conducted with final-year students (n = 10), recent graduates (n = 5), academic educators (n = 4), and clinical educators (n = 6), and thematic analysis was applied.Results Four themes emerged: (1) effective communication as a situated, adaptive practice; (2) Barriers to effective communication (linguistic, cultural, structural); (3) Role modelling and relational dynamics; and (4) Adaptability and resilience in workplace communication. Effective communication development was largely relational and experiential rather than shaped by formal curriculum, with students learning communication through immersion and mentorship amid systemic challenges. Structural misalignments between formal curricular goals and clinical realities constrained students' communication practice and confidence.Conclusion For educators, the findings suggest practical steps: 1) reconceptualise effective communication as a situated, socially mediated practice; (2) embed multilingual and multimodal communication opportunities into routine clinical teaching and assessment; (3) strengthen alignment and dialogue between universities and clinical training sites; and (4) prioritise faculty development to support inclusive role modelling and psychologically safe learning environments. Re-conceptualising effective communication as a situated, socially mediated practice (instead of a generic skill), enables intentional curriculum design and assessment that better prepare graduates for the complex socio-cultural clinical environments of the Global South.
SN - 2156-8650
ER -