This course is an applied clinical communication training designed for practicing board-certified veterinary specialists and specialists-in-training. This comprehensive offering has been developed by communication subject matter experts, who are also board-certified specialists. The course material is based on the Calgary-Cambridge veterinary communication model with core skills as defined by the Institute for Healthcare Communication and motivational interviewing

Throughout this course, participants will navigate challenging communication scenarios with the guidance of communication subject matter experts, for an individualized and practice-oriented experience.

Attendees will have the opportunity to:

• • Learn core communication techniques and their clinical applications.
  • Apply learned skills and approaches to navigate clinical scenarios in a controlled environment with simulated clients.
  • Receive feedback and debrief on the experience to inform future interactions.
  • Identify situations that can lead to suboptimal communication outcomes and understand ways of circumventing them.

Participants will be guided through a comprehensive and personalized training that includes:

On Demand; August 1-19, 2023:
The on-demand modules are a series of custom-made videos for this workshop that explore several essential concepts and tools for clinical communication in veterinary medicine. The intent of the on-demand modules is for all participants to develop an understanding and familiarity with existing terminology and some of the evidence behind clinical communication as a skillset that is both useful and expandable. This material is intended to be completed prior to the live virtual and in-person sessions and will be available on-demand specifically to allow participants to access the material at their own pace and to pause or rewind to review the content, as needed.

Live Virtual; August 20-22, 2023:
The live virtual session will bring all participants together online to interact with subject matter experts in a small group setting. The intent of the live virtual workshop is to generate interactions where participants can build on information from the on-demand sessions, using their own experiences and knowledge, to explore and problem-solve communication situations. Through these interactions, participants can develop, better understand, and apply approaches to future communication interactions. This portion of the course is a springboard for the in-person workshop.

In Person; September 8-10, 2023:
The in-person sessions are the culmination of the workshop. Participants will interact one-on-one with actors who are trained as simulated clients. This method will allow participants to navigate specific, challenging communication scenarios. These scenarios have been created for this workshop, specifically. The in-person workshop format provides real-time feedback and an opportunity to try different communication approaches in a realistic clinical setting. Group debriefings will allow time for reflection and connecting with peers.

Course Learning Objectives:
The course is designed to appeal equally to early-career, mid-career, and advanced-career participants.

By the end of this course, participants will have increased their abilities to:

1. 1. Engage in joint decision-making with clients efficiently.
   2. Break bad news while helping clients proceed with next steps.
   3. Set boundaries with clients and still maintain a positive relationship.
   4. Manage confrontational interactions with less stress.
   5. Work with emotional clients without taking on their emotion.
   6. Comfortably have a consultation with a client that has seen many other specialists.

RACE Application Status:
This program will be submitted (but is not yet approved) for 14.5 hours of live, seminar/lecture and 3 hours of anytime, non-interactive, non-medical continuing education credit in jurisdictions which recognize AAVSB RACE-approval.

Well Being Update:
While there are currently no Well Being protocols in place, in the event protocols are needed, all course attendees will be asked to participate in and abide by all protocols implemented on-site for the event. We will continue to closely monitor all conditions related to COVID-19 between now and the start of the event and reserve the right to modify health screening protocols in our sole discretion. We will inform you of any such changes and as a condition of participation you would agree to follow these protocols.