Key Communication Tips for Better Relationships in Academic Medicine with Adam D. Wolfe, MD, PhD

Our return guest this week on the Faculty Factory Podcast is Adam D. Wolfe, MD, PhD. Dr. Wolfe shares with us some key communication strategies for better conflict resolution and team building, some of which can also assist with sharing life-altering information with patients in the clinic.

The techniques outlined in this episode are designed to help prevent conflict and preserve interprofessional relationships when inevitable tensions arise.

Dr. Wolfe is the Interim Division Chief of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology at CHRISTUS Children’s, affiliated with Baylor College of Medicine in San Antonio, and is also the Associate Professor of Pediatrics and the Program Director of the Pediatric Residency Program. Additionally, he serves as the Assistant Dean of Medical Education and holds the Jann L. Harrison Endowed Chair in Pediatric Graduate Medical Education.

“If you start with goals, you can often end a lot of conflict by simply restating what it is you're all trying to accomplish,” Dr. Wolfe said.

Not only do many of the strategies outlined in the interview work well with professional colleagues at work, but these same principles often apply to when you're talking to families in a clinical situation, as we learn in the latter stages of this interview.

“Do whatever you can to preserve your interpersonal relationships. If you are in conflict, think about how you can preserve that relationship so that person can remain available to you and you can remain available to them… it’s what makes this work rewarding,” Dr. Wolfe added.

More Resources and Next Steps

• Visit FacultyFactory.org: https://facultyfactory.org/ 
• Learn more about the GRPI Model of Team Effectiveness: https://www.aihr.com/blog/grpi-model/
• Learn more about SPIKES for delivering bad news: https://healthcare.utah.edu/integrative-health/resiliency-center
• Listen to Dr. Wolfe’s first appearance on the Faculty Factory here: https://facultyfactory.org/adam-wolfe/
• Contact Dr Wolfe with questions here via email: Wolfe@bcm.edu
• You can also listen to the Dr. Ludy Shih episode that was mentioned in this interview titled “How to Make Meetings in Academic Medicine Work for You”: https://facultyfactory.org/meetings/