The Effect of Practising Sports on Communication Skills in Medical Students

Abstract

Effective communication is essential for medical students in terms of patient interaction, teamwork and professional success. This study examines the effect of doing sports on the communication skills of medical students. Three hundred forty-five medical students participated in the study and their communication skills were assessed using the Effective Communication Skills Scale. The findings revealed a significant difference between Turkish and English students in terms of 'Using I Language' skills. In addition, when the students' beliefs about the physical, physiological and psychological benefits of sports were compared with the sub-dimensions of the scale, statistically significant differences were found in the sub-dimensions of "Ego Enhancing Language" (p = 0.011), "Empathy" (p = 0.047) and "Using I Language" (p = 0.005). When the relationship between the class levels of the students and the sub-dimensions of the scale was examined, significant differences were observed in the sub-dimensions of 'Ego Enhancing Language' (p = 0.001), 'Active Listening' (p = 0.011) and 'Using I Language' (p = 0.007). The findings show that doing sports is essential in improving medical students' communication skills and suggest that encouraging sports in the medical education process may be beneficial in enhancing communication competencies. © 2025 Elsevier Ltd.