On the role of collaboration and effective communication – the “Together for Health” conference

A group of women and men pose for a group photo in a conference room. Some of the women and men are seated on chairs in the front row, while others stand behind them. Everyone wears name badges on lanyards, and the people seated in the front row hold cameras in their hands or rest their hands on their laps. In the background, there is a screen displaying the text “Conference Together for Health” and a banner of the Students’ Scientific Society.

Developing professional skills and fostering interprofessional collaboration are among the most pressing challenges in modern medical education. Recognizing the importance of effective teamwork in healthcare settings for the quality of patient care and safety, the conference titled “Together for Health” was organized. The event provided a space for integrating students from various medical fields, expanding knowledge about the competencies and roles of different healthcare professions, and developing interprofessional collaboration and effective communication skills.

The conference took place on April 11 this year at WUM’s Center for Medical Simulation and brought together dozens of participants, primarily students from various programs offered at the Medical University of Warsaw. The event was officially opened by Prof. Paweł Włodarski, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, and Dr. hab. Patryk Rzońca, Vice Dean responsible for the Faculty of Health Sciences.

Communication with patients and within medical teams

The first part of the program consisted of two plenary lectures. The first, titled “Please lie down as if in a coffin, or caring for both the patient and the healthcare professional – from communication to healing,” was delivered by Prof. Leszek Czupryniak, Head of the Department of Diabetology and Internal Medicine at WUM. The second plenary lecture, “Communication – a fundamental link in the chain of cooperation among medical personnel in the healthcare system,” was presented by Dr. Marcin Podgórski from the Department of Emergency Medical Sciences and Director of the Polish Medical Air Rescue. Both speakers, drawing on their professional experience, emphasized the crucial role of proper communication for patient safety and well-being, as well as for the effective functioning of healthcare professionals.

What supports communication and what hinders it

Following the plenary lectures, a panel discussion was held with representatives of various medical professions working together in healthcare teams. Participants included Anna Bryk (nurse), Dr. Anna Durka (midwife), Dr. Anna Dworakowska (pharmacist), Dr. Marzena Iwanowska (laboratory diagnostician), Dr. Marcin Kaczor (physician), Piotr Kołodziejczyk (paramedic), Jakub Krawczyk (dietitian), Dr. Marta Pietraś (physiotherapist), Weronika Wetoszka-Suska (public health graduate), Zofia Zdanowicz (speech therapist), and Andżelika Jończyk (special education teacher). The discussion was moderated by Dr. Antonina Doroszewska and Martyna Hydzik, a first-year medical student. The conversation focused on factors that facilitate or hinder communication among specialists, as well as clinical situations in which precise communication is particularly critical, since errors may lead to serious consequences for patients’ health or even their lives.

Different roles in healthcare teams

Another part of the program was a panel titled “Today studying together, tomorrow working together – my role in a healthcare team,” devoted to the perspectives of students from various medical programs. Participants included Weronika Bocianowska (dietetics), Emilia Figura (medicine), Barbara Gredecka (physiotherapy), Maria Jędrzejczyk (nursing), Karolina Kozłowska (public health), Milena Majewska (pharmacy), Patrycja Mandau (emergency medical sciences), Julia Nowicka (dental medicine), Sabina Sobolewska (medical analytics), and Wisenna Wydra (midwifery). The panel was moderated by Zuzanna Jończyk and Zuzanna Olszak, both medical students. The discussion focused on experiences related to studying in different programs and on understanding one’s future professional role in a healthcare team.

Tools that improve communication

An important part of the conference was also an interactive lecture titled “From chaos to cooperation – communication protocols that save lives,” conducted by an interdisciplinary team of lecturers: Dr. Antonina Doroszewska and Piotr Zawadzki from the Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care at WUM. Participants had the opportunity to learn about specific tools that enhance communication and teamwork in healthcare settings. An additional highlight of this session was a live broadcast from a simulation room, demonstrating a scenario in which a team is managing a patient in an emergency department after a drug overdose.

At the end of the conference, workshops were held during which participants could practically develop their skills in interprofessional teamwork.

The conference was held under the honorary patronage of His Magnificence Prof. Rafał Krenke, Rector of WUM. The initiator of the conference and supervisor of the organizing committee was Dr. Antonina Doroszewska, Head of the Department of Medical Communication. The event was organized by the Student Scientific Group of Medical Education and Communication together with the Department of Medical Communication and prepared by an organizing committee composed of students from various fields of study, which further emphasized its interdisciplinary and interprofessional nature. The event provided a valuable platform for exchanging experiences, reflecting on the role of communication in healthcare, and raising awareness of the importance of collaboration among representatives of different medical professions.

Women and men sit in a row on chairs in a conference room. They wear name badges on lanyards, and some of them hold mobile phones or notebooks in their hands. Everyone is facing in the same direction, toward the speakers.

Two men stand in front of a presentation screen in a conference room. One man holds a blue microphone in his hand and gestures with his other hand, while the other man stands next to him with his hands clasped in front of him. To the side, a woman stands holding a notebook. The text “Conference Together for Health” is displayed on the screen.

A view from the back of the conference room shows women and men seated on chairs. At the front of the room, two men stand at the speakers’ table, and one of them holds a microphone. Next to them, a woman operates a computer. A presentation screen and a banner of the Students’ Scientific Society are visible in the background.

A man stands in front of a presentation screen and holds a blue microphone in his hand. With his other hand, he gestures toward the audience. A chart and text related to body weight and ineffective weight loss are displayed on the screen. In front of him, women and men are seated facing in his direction.

Women and men stand by their seats in a conference room. Some people hold bags in their hands, while others keep their arms lowered along their sides. At the front of the room, a man stands at a lectern, and a presentation screen is visible.

Women and a man sit in a row on chairs and listen to a talk. One woman holds a laptop on her lap, while the other people have their hands clasped or resting on their laps. Everyone is facing toward the speaker.

A man stands next to a computer and holds a blue microphone in his hand. With his other hand, he makes a gesture as if emphasizing the topic being discussed. Next to him, there is a banner of the Students’ Scientific Society of the Medical University of Warsaw, and a slide with the word “Communication” is displayed on the screen.

Women and men sit in a semicircle in a large conference hall. Some people hold microphones in their hands, while others rest their hands on their laps. An audience seated on chairs sits opposite them. Presentation screens and a banner of the Students’ Scientific Society are visible in the background.

A woman stands in front of a banner of the Students’ Scientific Society and holds a blue microphone in her hand. Her other hand hangs loosely at her side. The woman faces the audience and delivers a speech.

Women sit in a semicircle in a conference room and take part in a panel discussion. Some of them hold microphones, while the others rest their hands on their laps. An audience sits opposite, facing the panelists.