Writing, Speaking, and Communication Skills for Health Professionals.

Health Care Communication Group. New Haven, CT 06520-9040, Yale University Press, 2001, paperback, 351 pp, illus, ISBN: 0-300-08862-0, $17.95.

This book serves as an excellent resource on all forms of communication encountered by health care professionals, and would be suitable for a research sequence in any scientific discipline. It is divided into 5 parts: "Reading Science," "Writing Science," "Speaking Science," "Teaching Science," and "The Business Aspects of Health Care."

Part 1 focuses on reading medical literature and assessing the design and results of clinical studies. It provides readers with a thoughtful analysis of clinical intervention studies and helps them determine the relevance and meaningfulness of medical literature. The authors pay attention to the most appropriate databases for accessing current medical literature. A brief overview of the elements of clinical intervention studies is provided. A series of questions readers should ask about intervention studies are presented, along with the key concepts relevant to each question.

In part 2, the authors clearly describe the differences in the writing of articles for scientific journals, case studies, grant applications, scientific posters, and job search materials. It begins with basic grammar tips, covering active versus passive voice, rewriting for clarity, common grammatical problems, and basic rules of punctuation and grammar. Specific suggestions are provided for stimulating the creative process and for clarity of thought. Guidelines are offered for writing first drafts of articles and case studies. Many useful suggestions for organizing papers and the types of information to incorporate in each section are offered.

The chapter on research grants describes good grant proposals as marketing documents. The most common reason cited for unfunded proposals to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) is a "lack of focus." Each part of a grant proposal is described and suggestions are offered for effectively writing each section. The author of this chapter, a former NIH reviewer, provides specific examples of what information is appropriate and expected in a funded submission versus what information is not found in unfunded submissions.

The chapter on developing effective scientific posters provides guidelines for deciding whether to give an oral presentation or a poster presentation. The poster presentation checklist is very helpful, and the logistics of developing a poster presentation are addressed in a very pragmatic manner.

The section on writing ends with suggestions for creating informative and effective curriculum vitae for job searches. This chapter is particularly useful for students preparing their initial curriculum vitae.

Part 3 focuses on speaking. Several useful tips and guidelines are offered to help readers prepare both short scientific platform presentations and hour-long keynote presentations.

Part 4 includes a single chapter on teaching. It focuses on clinical teaching and emphasizes linking science to clinical observation. The chapter's focus on the patient through the use of the elements in a problem-oriented record is of great value. The evaluation tool presented for use by students to assess a clinical educator (eg, teacher, preceptor) is based on the problem-oriented record and stresses the active engagement of students. Many health care disciplines may find this tool useful.

The final part of the book focuses on the business aspects of health care. A comprehensive overview of oral and nonverbal communication is provided. Particular attention is given to establishing rapport and learning from patients. The interpersonal aspects of building a practice are addressed with emphasis on communication as a marketing tool. Tips also are provided for running effective meetings and preparing various forms of written business communications.

Overall, this book takes a pragmatic approach to communication. It is loaded with "how-tos" and useful tips and suggestions. This book should be part of every health care professional's reference collection.

Beverly J Schmoll, PT, PhD, FAPTA Wayne State University Detroit, Mich

Dr Schmoll is Dean of the Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences.