A new publication by colleagues from the Department of Medical Psychology and Ethics at the Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, offers practical guidance for communication in clinical medicine. It will be appreciated by both medical students and experienced physicians.
How should healthcare professionals communicate with patients under time pressure, in emotionally charged situations, or during challenging clinical encounters? These questions are addressed in the new publication Praktický průvodce lékařskou psychologií: Jak najít správná slova v klinické medicíně (Practical Guide to Medical Psychology: How to Find the Right Words in Clinical Medicine), published by Grada Publishing under the editorial leadership of Miroslav Světlák, Alena Slezáčková, and Rastislav Šumec from the Department of Medical Psychology and Ethics at the Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University. The book was also created with contributions from a multidisciplinary team of experts in medicine, psychology, and healthcare practice.
The publication offers practical, immediately applicable strategies for everyday clinical work. It clearly summarizes essential communication skills — from conducting patient interviews and patient education to supporting treatment adherence, delivering bad news, and communicating during crisis situations. The book is designed as a practical reference that can be used whenever needed. Each chapter includes a concise explanation of the topic, evidence-based recommendations, model conversations, and practical guidance for clinical practice.
As one of the book's editors, Miroslav Světlák, Head of the Department of Medical Psychology and Ethics at the Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, explains, the idea for the publication emerged from repeated experiences in teaching and collaborating with healthcare teams: "During many supervision sessions, in our work with healthcare teams, and while teaching medical students, one recurring question kept appearing: 'I know what I need to say, but how do I say it sensitively?' and 'Sometimes it's simply difficult to find the right words.'" According to him, the publication is a pragmatic response to this clinical need and aims to provide healthcare professionals with concrete answers on how to communicate effectively in a wide range of situations.
The importance of medical psychology is also emphasized by Zdeňka Barešová, author of several chapters: "The longer I work in healthcare, the more I realize how important the topics covered by medical psychology truly are. At the same time, I feel that a publication like this has long been missing in the Czech environment." In her view, the book can serve as a valuable guide not only for physicians but also for other healthcare professionals, students of healthcare disciplines, and anyone seeking to better understand communication with patients in challenging situations. The authors therefore believe that the publication will find broad application across healthcare professions. Starting this autumn, it will also become an important part of the curriculum in courses taught by the Department of Medical Psychology and Ethics.
Nearly 800 students successfully completed their studies at the Faculty of Medicine of Masaryk University this year. Graduates included students of General Medicine, Dentistry and the Embryologist programme, as well as graduates of bachelor's and follow-up master's programmes in healthcare. The graduating class also included students from the Faculty's English-taught degree programmes.
Tradition, Anatomy, and International Collaboration. This year, Danish medical students have once again come to Brno to attend a two-week course in topographical anatomical dissection, offering them a unique hands-on experience in anatomical preparation, an opportunity to explore the culture and environment of Moravia, and a reminder of the invaluable role of body donation in medical education.
