Calvin Chou, MD
Professor
Medicine
School of Medicine
When people ask me what I do for a living, and I reply “I’m a general internist, and I teach bedside manner,” the response nearly always is a variation on how much it is needed, followed by a story of ineffective communication from a clinician to themselves or a family member.
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Patient-provider communication is an area of fundamental clinical competence that has become increasingly recognized as a critical component of medical education. Unfortunately, interviewing skills of medical students and residents decline throughout their training. The paucity of effective curricula to address this basic educational need has been cited as a cause for these disturbing national trends. My goal as a leader in medical education is to develop and refine teaching of patient-provider communication, to expand its importance by training other educators across the country, and to begin to link communication skills teaching with patient outcomes.
To further develop my own interviewing and teaching skills, in 2003 I completed a rigorous four-year training program with the Academy on Communication in Healthcare (ACH), an organization of nationally prominent educators and researchers in patient-physician communication. Now as a faculty member of the ACH, every year I teach participants from all health professions in the ACH ENRICH national faculty development course. I have also facilitated workshops on communication skills at prominent medical centers across the country, including the Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, Stanford University, and New York University, where I consistently garner top ratings from learners as an effective teacher and facilitator.
In developing the VALOR (VA Longitudinal Rotations) Program for UCSF third-year medical students, I have incorporated weekly sessions for third-year students on basic clinical skill-building, self-reflection on personal and professional development, and observations on hidden curricular issues. I am optimistic that these changes will enhance patient care and humanize the occasionally oppressive culture of medicine.
Finally, as Academy Chair for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning at UCSF, my charge is to demonstrate how education can lead to patient outcomes. It is my conviction that by training physicians and students in effective communication skills, they can not only motivate patients to take charge of their health issues, but also create effective interdisciplinary teams to reduce medical errors.
Awards
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- Class of 2021 Excellence in Teaching for Clinical Faculty Award, UCSF, 2021
- Federal Employee of the Year (as part of the Disaster Response Mental Health Team), Federal Executive Board, San Francisco, 2020
- Choice Critics Award, Medical Education (journal), 2020
- Healthcare Communication Teaching Excellence Award, Academy of Communication in Healthcare, 2019
- Lynn Payer Award, Academy of Communication in Healthcare, 2018
- Academy Chair in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, UCSF, 2011
- Fellow, Academy of Communication in Healthcare, 2010
- Class of 2010 Award for Outstanding Teaching, UCSF, 2010
- Inducted to Alpha Omega Alpha, UCSF, 2010
- Kaiser Award for Excellence in Teaching in the Inpatient Setting, UCSF, 2008
- Inducted to Academy of Medical Educators, UCSF, 2002
Education & Training
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- Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Champion Training University of California 2017
- Faculty in Training Program Academy of Communication in Healthcare 2003
- Residency Internal Medicine University of California, San Francisco 06/1997
- M.D. Medicine Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons 05/1994
- Ph.D. Microbiology Columbia University 05/1992
- B.S. Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry Yale University 05/1985
Websites
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- @@DrCalvinChou on Twitter (twitter.com)
- UCSF Academy of Medical Educators (medschool.ucsf.edu)
- American Academy on Communication in Healthcare (aachonline.org)
Publications (58)
Top publication keywords:
EmpathyEducation, Medical, UndergraduateRemedial TeachingEducation, MedicalTeachingClinical CompetenceStaff DevelopmentCurriculumCommunicationPhysical ExaminationNegotiatingPeer GroupClinical ClerkshipPhysician-Patient RelationsStudents, Medical
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Partnering With Patients and Caregivers in Cancer Care: Lessons From Experiences With Transgender, Hispanic, and Pediatric Populations.
American Society of Clinical Oncology educational book. American Society of Clinical Oncology. Annual Meeting 2023 Katz NT, Alpert AB, Aristizabal MP, McDaniels-Davidson C, Sacks BH, Sanft T, Chou CL, Martinez ME -
Longitudinal Faculty Development to Improve Interprofessional Collaboration and Practice: A Multi-site Qualitative Study at Five US Academic Health Centers
BMJ Open 2023 Rider EA, Chou C, Abraham C, Weissmann P, Litzelman DK, Hatem D, Branch W. -
Improving Communication Skills: A Roadmap for Humanistic Health Care.
The Medical clinics of North America 2022 Chang AA, Siropaides CH, Chou CL -
Emphasizing Empathy in Communicating About Uncertainty by Using a Dialogic Approach.
Academic medicine : journal of the Association of American Medical Colleges 2021 Chou CL, Connor DM, Santhosh L -
Start the Way You Want to Finish: An Intensive Diversity, Equity, Inclusion Orientation Curriculum in Undergraduate Medical Education.
Journal of medical education and curricular development 2021 Davis DLF, Tran-Taylor D, Imbert E, Wong JO, Chou CL
Show all (53 more) Hide
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How COVID-19 Disrupts-and Enhances-My Clinical Work.
Journal of patient experience 2020 Chou CL -
Leadership & Professional Development: Make the Most of Your Oranges.
Journal of hospital medicine 2020 Zapata J, Chou C -
Guidelines: The dos, don'ts and don't knows of remediation in medical education.
Perspectives on medical education 2019 Chou CL, Kalet A, Costa MJ, Cleland J, Winston K -
The Bearable Lightness of Uncertainty.
Journal of general internal medicine 2019 Davis DLF, Chou CL -
Diagnostic uncertainty: from education to communication.
Diagnosis (Berlin, Germany) 2019 Santhosh L, Chou CL, Connor DM -
Twelve tips for responding to microaggressions and overt discrimination: When the patient offends the learner.
Medical teacher 2018 Wheeler DJ, Zapata J, Davis D, Chou C -
Situating Remediation: Accommodating Success and Failure in Medical Education Systems.
Academic medicine : journal of the Association of American Medical Colleges 2018 Ellaway RH, Chou CL, Kalet AL -
To fail is human: remediating remediation in medical education.
Perspectives on medical education 2017 Kalet A, Chou CL, Ellaway RH -
A Foundation for Vital Academic and Social Support in Clerkships: Learning Through Peer Continuity.
Academic medicine : journal of the Association of American Medical Colleges 2017 Chou CL, Teherani A -
Improving clerkship preparedness: a hospital medicine elective for pre-clerkship students.
Medical education online 2017 Connor DM, Conlon PJ, O'Brien BC, Chou CL -
Collaborative and Bidirectional Feedback Between Students and Clinical Preceptors: Promoting Effective Communication Skills on Health Care Teams.
Journal of midwifery & women's health 2016 Myers K, Chou CL -
Twelve tips for developing and maintaining a remediation program in medical education.
Medical teacher 2016 Kalet A, Guerrasio J, Chou CL -
Workplace learning through peer groups in medical school clerkships.
Medical education online 2014 Chou CL, Teherani A, Masters DE, Vener M, Wamsley M, Poncelet A -
Lifestyle factors and primary care specialty selection: comparing 2012-2013 graduating and matriculating medical students' thoughts on specialty lifestyle.
Academic medicine : journal of the Association of American Medical Colleges 2014 Clinite KL, DeZee KJ, Durning SJ, Kogan JR, Blevins T, Chou CL, Diemer G, Dunne DW, Fagan MJ, Hartung PJ, Kazantsev SM, Mechaber HF, Paauw DS, Wong JG, Reddy ST -
Twelve tips for teaching evidence-based physical examination.
Medical teacher 2014 Mookherjee S, Hunt S, Chou CL -
The impact of a faculty learning community on professional and personal development: the facilitator training program of the American Academy on Communication in Healthcare.
Academic medicine : journal of the Association of American Medical Colleges 2014 Chou CL, Hirschmann K, Fortin AH, Lichstein PR -
Faculty development to enhance humanistic teaching and role modeling: a collaborative study at eight institutions.
Journal of general internal medicine 2014 Branch WT, Chou CL, Farber NJ, Hatem D, Keenan C, Makoul G, Quinn M, Salazar W, Sillman J, Stuber M, Wilkerson L, Mathew G, Fost M -
Teaching patient-centered communication skills: a telephone follow-up curriculum for medical students.
Medical education online 2014 Saba GW, Chou CL, Satterfield J, Teherani A, Hauer K, Poncelet A, Chen HC -
Huddle-coaching: a dynamic intervention for trainees and staff to support team-based care.
Academic medicine : journal of the Association of American Medical Colleges 2014 Shunk R, Dulay M, Chou CL, Janson S, O'Brien BC -
Remediation in Medical Education: A Mid-Course Correction
Remediation in Medical Education: A Mid-Course Correction 2014 Kalet A, Chou CL (eds) -
Effects of longitudinal small-group learning on delivery and receipt of communication skills feedback.
Medical education 2013 Chou CL, Masters DE, Chang A, Kruidering M, Hauer KE -
Primary care, the ROAD less traveled: what first-year medical students want in a specialty.
Academic medicine : journal of the Association of American Medical Colleges 2013 Clinite KL, Reddy ST, Kazantsev SM, Kogan JR, Durning SJ, Blevins T, Chou CL, Diemer G, Dunne DW, Fagan MJ, Hartung PJ, Mechaber HF, Paauw DS, Wong JG, DeZee KJ -
The third-year medical student "grapevine": managing transitions between third-year clerkships using peer-to-peer handoffs.
Academic medicine : journal of the Association of American Medical Colleges 2013 Masters DE, O'Brien BC, Chou CL -
Physical examination education in graduate medical education--a systematic review of the literature.
Journal of general internal medicine 2013 Mookherjee S, Pheatt L, Ranji SR, Chou CL -
Twelve tips for facilitating successful teleconferences.
Medical teacher 2012 Chou CL, Promes SB, Souza KH, Topp KS, O'Sullivan PS -
A "safe space" for learning and reflection: one school's design for continuity with a peer group across clinical clerkships.
Academic medicine : journal of the Association of American Medical Colleges 2011 Chou CL, Johnston CB, Singh B, Garber JD, Kaplan E, Lee K, Teherani A -
Nice work if you can get it: comment on "Too little? Too much? Primary care physicians' views on US health care".
Archives of internal medicine 2011 Chou C -
Clinical skills-related learning goals of senior medical students after performance feedback.
Medical education 2011 Chang A, Chou CL, Teherani A, Hauer KE -
Standardized patient-narrated web-based learning modules improve students' communication skills on a high-stakes clinical skills examination.
Journal of general internal medicine 2011 Lee CA, Chang A, Chou CL, Boscardin C, Hauer KE -
Assessment of direct ophthalmoscopy teaching using plastic canisters.
Medical education 2011 Swanson S, Ku T, Chou C -
Bedside teaching of clinical reasoning and evidence-based physical examination.
Medical education 2011 Mookherjee S, Chou CL -
Integrating surface anatomy learning with clinical skills training.
Medical education 2010 Chou CL, Topp KS, Kruidering-Hall M -
Near-peer workshops for pre-clerkship physical examination skills.
Medical education 2010 Kim JE, Schickedanz AD, Chou CL -
Impact of an in-person versus web-based practice standardized patient examination on student performance on a subsequent high-stakes standardized patient examination.
Teaching and learning in medicine 2009 Hauer KE, Chou CL, Souza KH, Henry D, Loeser H, Burke C, Mayfield C, O'Sullivan PS -
Predicting failing performance on a standardized patient clinical performance examination: the importance of communication and professionalism skills deficits.
Academic medicine : journal of the Association of American Medical Colleges 2009 Chang A, Boscardin C, Chou CL, Loeser H, Hauer KE -
Teaching musculoskeletal physical diagnosis using a web-based tutorial and pathophysiology-focused cases.
Medical education online 2009 Modica RF, Thundiyil JG, Chou C, Diab M, Von Scheven E -
Near-peer videos for physical examination instruction.
Medical education 2009 Schickedanz AD, Kim JE, Chou CL -
Teaching feedback to first-year medical students: long-term skill retention and accuracy of student self-assessment.
Journal of general internal medicine 2009 Kruidering-Hall M, O'Sullivan PS, Chou CL -
Clinical skills remedial training for medical students.
Medical education 2008 Chang A, Chou CL, Hauer KE -
A critical intervention in lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender health: knowledge and attitude outcomes among second-year medical students.
Teaching and learning in medicine 2008 Kelley L, Chou CL, Dibble SL, Robertson PA -
Remediation workshop for medical students in patient-doctor interaction skills.
Medical education 2008 Chou CL, Chang A, Hauer KE -
Caring attitudes in medical education: perceptions of deans and curriculum leaders.
Journal of general internal medicine 2007 Lown BA, Chou CL, Clark WD, Haidet P, White MK, Krupat E, Pelletier S, Weissmann P, Anderson MB -
A brief educational intervention in personal finance for medical residents.
Journal of general internal medicine 2007 Dhaliwal G, Chou CL -
Near-peer teaching in a formative clinical skills examination.
Medical education 2006 Colaco SM, Chou CL, Hauer KE -
Multidisciplinary teaching of the musculoskeletal physical examination.
Medical education 2006 Chou CL, Topp KS, O'Sullivan P -
Not the same everywhere. Patient-centered learning environments at nine medical schools.
Journal of general internal medicine 2006 Haidet P, Kelly PA, Bentley S, Blatt B, Chou CL, Fortin AH, Gordon G, Gracey C, Harrell H, Hatem DS, Helmer D, Paterniti DA, Wagner D, Inui TS, Communication, Curriculum, and Culture Study Group -
Physical examination teaching curriculum for senior medical students.
Medical education 2005 Chou CL -
Characterizing the patient-centeredness of hidden curricula in medical schools: development and validation of a new measure.
Academic medicine : journal of the Association of American Medical Colleges 2005 Haidet P, Kelly PA, Chou C, Communication, Cirriculum, and Culture Study Group -
Surgery in the patient with liver disease.
The Medical clinics of North America 2003 Rizvon MK, Chou CL -
A curriculum in medical economics for residents.
Academic medicine : journal of the Association of American Medical Colleges 2002 Kohlwes RJ, Chou CL -
Intron sequences determine the expression of kappa light chain genes.
Molecular immunology 1994 Chou CL, Morrison SL -
A common sequence motif near nonhomologous recombination breakpoints involving Ig sequences.
Journal of immunology (Baltimore, Md. : 1950) 1993 Chou CL, Morrison SL -
An insertion-deletion event in murine immunoglobulin kappa gene resembles mutations at heavy-chain disease loci.
Somatic cell and molecular genetics 1993 Chou CL, Morrison SL