Forming the communicative competence of future doctors in the context of digitalisation and contemporary social challenges

Abstract

Abstract: Purpose. The article provides scientific justification for the importance of communication skills in the professional training of future doctors and identifies effective approaches to their development in the context of contemporary social and educational transformations caused by war, the digitisation of medical education, and updated accreditation standards. Methods. To achieve the objective, an interdisciplinary approach was used, combining analysis of contemporary scientific sources, systematisation of the results of international and domestic research, comparative analysis of educational models, and generalisation of practices aimed at developing the communication skills of future doctors. Methods of content analysis, systematisation, and comparative-descriptive analysis were used, which made it possible to identify key trends and problematic aspects of the topic under study. Results. It has been proven that communicative competence is an integral part of clinical thinking and determines the effectiveness of the treatment and diagnostic process, patient adherence to therapy, and the level of trust in the medical system. The effectiveness of traditional and modern approaches to the formation of communication skills has been analysed: lectures, role-playing games, simulation scenarios, blended learning, digital platforms, virtual patients, AR/VR technologies and telemedicine. It has been established that the most effective models are those that integrate a theoretical component with practical clinical and communication tasks, ensure the individualisation of the learning process, repeated practice of skills, and interactive feedback. Particular attention is paid to the problem of crisis communication, which has been brought to the fore by the war in Ukraine and requires new approaches to training medical professionals in interacting with patients who are experiencing stress and psychological trauma. The importance of training teachers and clinical mentors, who must not only teach but also demonstrate modern communication models in their own practice, is emphasised separately. A number of unresolved issues have been identified: the gap between educational and real clinical practices, insufficient development of crisis communication techniques, weak standardisation of digital tools, and a shortage of teacher training programmes. Conclusions. The results confirm that effective communication skills development is only possible when classic educational approaches are combined with modern digital and simulation technologies, the learning process is integrated with real clinical practices, and teaching staff are trained to implement innovative communication models. Further research should focus on developing standardised crisis communication techniques, unifying digital platforms, and assessing their long-term effectiveness. This will allow for the creation of a comprehensive training model that will ensure a high level of professional and communicative readiness of doctors to work in the face of modern challenges.