The key problem for all partner countries in FOR21 Consortium is the absence of consistent communication training for future doctors. Physicians recognize it is important to acquire new information and technical skills as part of their professional activities, but have paid less attention to learning how to communicate effectively, particularly in challenging situations, such as helping patients make choices, disclosing errors or breaking bad news.  They have also not regarded it as a skill to learn. What is needed is significant change in the early training of doctors to embed these new skills sustainably. Above all, the new approaches need to be more patient-centered.

FOR21 will start the development of medical curriculum together with educational strategies, methods and tools for building communication competence and social responsibility, aimed to improve doctor-to-patient communication.New system of communication skills training will be introduced into the PC HEIs and will address needed changes in the mode and habits of communication training. Communication Development training Centres (CDCs) will be set up at Partner Universities to train academics to use innovative approaches in their teaching practices and support newly created Patient Centered Communication Skills Programme (PCCSP). PCCSP will bring PC HEIs to transition from lecture-based teaching to learning activities, such as Flipped Classroom, Standardized and Virtual Patients, ICT methods in a fully integrated training regime. Network of CDCs will consistently stimulate curricula of partner and non-partner medical HEIs, to modernise and innovate, in accord with the latest trends in communication competency development.