With the support of teachers Hélène Cocriamont, Laura Demarthe and Hélène Givron, these practical exercises are part of the medical psychology course run by Professor M. Desseilles. Their aim is to strengthen medical students' professional communication skills in healthcare.

Dominique Damas, mother of three children with Fragile X syndrome, gave evidence of her personal experiences of bad news announcements. Three times, she had to face the ordeal of receiving this diagnosis for her children. Through her experiences, she has developed an expertise that she now puts at the service of others. This approach has enabled her to transform a personal ordeal into a collective commitment, by joining associations dedicated to disability.

His collaboration with Dr. Latteur enabled the students to grasp the issues involved in successful caregiver-caregiver communication: active listening, choice of words, adaptation to the patient and family, post-announcement follow-up. A key point raised during the session was the importance of "taking the time", as an announcement of a serious diagnosis cannot be dispatched in 20 minutes.

Etudiants en auditoire lors d'un TP

The challenges: better support for patients and their families

The intervention had several objectives:

  • To prepare students to apprehend a situation as sensitive as the announcement of bad news, by providing them with practical and theoretical tools.
  • To improve support for patients and their families, taking into account their emotions and understanding of the situation.
  • Favoring a humane and caring approach, where the person delivering the diagnosis must remember that they have an obligation of means, not of result.

Students also received a booklet of practical advice "Accompagner l'annonce d'un diagnostic", to extend learning after the practical sessions.

The testimony of Dominique Damas and the experience of Dr. Latteur captivated the 3rd-year medical students, as one of them testified:

"It's really great to have this kind of intervention in our curriculum. What's more, the guests are so involved that it makes for an exciting time. "

These exchanges provide a 360-degree view, integrating the patient's and caregiver's perspectives. This immersive approach prepares future doctors to face these difficult situations with serenity and professionalism, while raising their awareness of their own mental health.

Mental health and well-being in medical school

At UNamur, the mental health of medical students is a priority. Several initiatives from the psychology department complement these TP:

  • Practical work designed to reinforce reflection on the importance of their physical and mental well-being.
  • A special focus on preventing burn-out, a pervasive problem in the medical profession.
  • The creation of a mini-guide to professional communication, distributed after interactive role-playing.
  • An immersive-learning system to practice breaking bad news.

These pedagogical initiatives demonstrate the Faculty of Medicine's commitment to offering an all-round training, which is not limited to technical expertise but also encompasses the inter- and intrapersonal aspects, essential to practicing medicine in all its complexity.

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