Patients will not necessarily be in a position to differentiate between you, as a medical student, and a “real” doctor – so it’s up to you to make sure they know who you are.

Good doctors are good communicators – it’s that simple. This article examines how building your communication skills at medical school will stand you in good stead as a doctor.

As a doctor, you may be asked to give evidence in many different types of tribunals, including criminal or civil courts, the coroner’s court and employment or mental health tribunals.

We’ve compiled some essential advice you need to know about protecting yourself online. The article looks into cases and GMC guidance around online activity and social media, with key things you need to know as a student doctor.

The new Complaints Handling Procedure places an emphasis on empowering all staff to resolve issues “on-the-spot” where they can. You also have to make sure you record all complaints, even those resolved efficiently. Sara Dawson explores all the changes below

Dr Aaron Madhok reflects on his time working in Africa

Dr Michele Afif, Medicolegal Adviser at Medical Protection, reflects on her experiences of working in paediatrics

Poor communication between doctors lies at the heart of many complaints, claims and disciplinary actions. Dr Mark Dinwoodie, Medical Protection’s Director of Education, explains the importance of maintaining good relationships with colleagues and communicating effectively with other health professionals

Foundation doctors are increasingly using social media and smartphone apps to communicate with each other and senior colleagues. While this has many advantages, there are pitfalls to consider. Dr James Thorpe, Medicolegal Adviser at Medical Protection, investigates.

Learning From Events

With more than 300 million patients consulting with primary care teams annually it’s unfortunately inevitable that a proportion will suffer some form of unintentional harm, mostly of low to moderate severity. Research has suggested that around 1-2% of consultations in primary care are associated with an adverse event. The cost of harm – to patients, to those working in healthcare, and to productivity – is significant.