Effectiveness of a New Clinical and Communication Curriculum for Medical Students: Result of a Double-Blinded Randomized Controlled Educational Trial.

Following a 9-week curriculum, evaluators rated students' performance higher than their counterparts who learned these skills through standard informal exposure in the clinical setting. The fact that this performance advantage was maintained for 2 years following the intervention is a testament to the durability of the intervention and the value of dedicated training in these critical areas at an early point in students' clinical careers.