Innovative approaches to the formation of soft skills in medical education: the educational component «I am a doctor’s brand»

Abstract

Objective. The purpose of this study is the development and implementation of innovative approaches to the formation of soft skills in medical education, in particular through the educational component «I am a doctor's brand». Given the growing demands for medical professionals, the need to integrate communication skills, emotional intelligence, leadership qualities, and self-presentation skills into educational programs is becoming extremely urgent. This research is aimed at improving the professional training of medical students by using a mixed teaching method that includes both traditional and modern interactive methods.

Methods. The research was conducted on the basis of two groups of students: the control group, which studied according to the traditional method, and the experimental group, which used a mixed method with the inclusion of the educational component «I am the doctor's brand». To assess the level of soft skills, a valid and reliable psychodiagnostic toolkit was used, which included tests and questionnaires for measuring communication skills, emotional intelligence, leadership qualities and self-presentation skills. Data collection was carried out before and after the implementation of the educational component. Correlation analysis based on the Pearson coefficient made it possible to assess the relationship between various indicators of soft skills in both groups.

Results. The results of the study showed a significant improvement in the level of soft skills of students who studied using a mixed method. Communication skills of students in the experimental group increased by 25% compared to the control group. Emotional intelligence increased by 20%, leadership qualities by 20%, and self-presentation skills by 25%. Correlation analysis showed significant positive correlations between indicators in the experimental group, which indicates the effectiveness of the integrated approach to training. Interviews and focus groups confirmed these results, demonstrating positive changes in students' well-being, confidence in teaching, and satisfaction with the learning process.

Conclusions. The study confirmed the effectiveness of the implementation of the educational component «I am a doctor's brand» in the formation of soft skills among students of medical universities. The implementation of interactive learning methods, such as simulation trainings and role-playing games, significantly improved students' communication skills, emotional intelligence, leadership qualities, and self-presentation skills. Despite the achieved results, it is necessary to continue research to study the long-term impact of mixed methods on the professional activity of graduates and to develop additional methods for the integration of soft skills in clinical practice. The use of the latest technologies, such as virtual reality, can further increase the effectiveness of training.