Communication is key?

"The single biggest problem with communication is the illusion that it has taken place." ~George Bernard Shaw

What constitutes "communication"? Merriam Webster says that it is a process by which information is exchanged between individuals through a common system of symbols, signs, or behavior.   I think that most important part of that definition is the EXCHANGE part.  When a veterinarian is helping a patient, that patient is non-verbal. We still communicate with our patients, but the single most valuable exchange is that with the caregiver.
I am to go to Mississippi State University College of Veterinary Medicine to talk with a Communications class this week. If I can teach them methods of communicating not just through speech, then I will have helped them be better doctors.  Most vet schools teach comprehensive medical knowledge and skills, but I applaud the effort of MSU CVM to teach MORE.  We, as doctors, have to be sure that our whole message is being received. They say the average person needs to hear something several times before they truly understand the message. We can use all sorts of ways to reach all sorts of people. In today's hyper-communicative world, we can choose to use it to our advantage or fight against it to our detriment. I text and blog and use all sorts of techno-babble to be sure that my message (Your pet deserves the best care) reaches all kinds of people. If I can help these students to use their own individual gifts to make sure their messages about good medicine and patient care are always received, then I will feel like I have made a difference. Wish me luck!