Part 1 of 3 instalments from the Clinical Communication Conference held at the Clerkenewll campus
One of the most striking themes at the UKCCC 2025 conference was the growing presence of AI and digital tools in clinical communication education. These innovations hold clear promise, yet what stood out even more was how rarely conversations turned to evaluating their real-world impact — or to asking whether students feel genuinely prepared for clinical encounters beyond the classroom.
Many demonstrations focused on student satisfaction or confidence rating and, while useful, these don’t always reflect long term competence. What’s missing is a framework that tracks students’ clinical communication assessments (CCAs) and how they perform in realistic, complex situations. To ensure AI based tools support learning, rather than just impress, we need student collaboration in shaping how these tools are integrated and evaluated.
An insight came from a session led by Yvonne Batson-Wright and Anna Collin on ‘Remote Clinical Communication’. It underscored a surprising disconnect: although remote consultations have become a routine part of care, much of today’s training still centres on traditional, in-person formats. This gap is more than curriculum oversight; it’s a missed opportunity in preparing students for the current realities of the medical profession. Including students in these conversations is a way to help bridge the divide between what we’re taught and what we experience on placement.
To truly prepare students for practice, here are some recommended next steps:
1.Set up a Student Digital Panel
Involve a diverse group of students in testing, reviewing and shaping any new AI or digital learning tools before they’re introduced more widely. Their insights can highlight usability issues, clinical realism and potential risks early on.
2. Align digital tools with actual learning outcomes
Ensure AI based tools are linked to students’ assessment communications skills such as CCAs, rather than relying on confidence scores or satisfaction surveys alone. This makes evaluation more insightful for future practice.
3. Introduce a teaching block on digital consultations early
Include specific teaching on remote communication skills, including telephone, video and written formats from Year 1. This reflects how care is currently delivered and prepares students more realistically for placements and real life.
4. Encourage reflective practice on tech use
CSGUL stood out positively at the conference with the use of reflective practice in curriculum. In future, after using digital or AI tools in teaching, students should be encouraged to briefly reflect: How did it shape their thinking? What were the limitations? This builds digital literacy and professional judgement.
Adapting the curriculum to accurately reflect the realities of the medial practice in the post-COVID era is the way to ensure medical students come out of university truly prepared. Involving students in the change process is how we can ensure that new practices are inclusive and truly represent the needs of their placement experiences. Moreover, supporting students in truly understanding the benefits and downfalls of tech use and AI using their critical thinking can support ethical use of these tools in a way that benefits the practitioners and patients alike, fostering progress and innovation.
Words by: by Mrs. Adejoke Thika (Ilegbusi), MBBS Year 2, City St George’s, University of London
Edit by: Alexandra Bondoc, Inclusive Education and Events Officer