Managing Difficult Conversations

(Crosslisted with GSBGEN 368). This elective 3-unit course is offered to all medical students, residents, and fellows and other graduate students with instructor's permission who aspire to improve their ability to deal effectively with difficult professional and personal interpersonal situations. Class is held Tuesday, 3:10-6:10 PM. The course will be taught by William F. Meehan III, the Raccoon Partners Lecturer in Management and Senior Partner Emeritus, McKinsey and Company, and Charles G. Prober, M.D., Professor of Pediatrics, Microbiology & Immunology and Senior Associate Vice Provost for Health Education, Stanford School of Medicine. The course, which is case/vignette-based, involves frequent student-to-student and student-to-instructor role-playing in authentic business and medical interactions. Inde 238 is cross-listed with GSBGEN 368 which draws MBA students, and part of the learning environment of the course is the mix of perspectives and vignettes we role play and discuss. Topic-specific experts often will be present to participate as class guests. Relevant principles of professionalism, leadership, and psychology underlie the course pedagogy. Students will be expected to attend all classes unless excused in advance. Class preparation will include reading of assigned cases; analysis of the cases and recommendations as to how to confront specific difficult conversations (consistent with assigned study questions); and reading of assigned background material. It is important that all students participate actively in classroom discussions. Class size will be limited to 40 students per the following: (1) a maximum of 20 MBA students and (2) a maximum of 20 non-GSB graduate students. MD student enrollment only in INDE 238, GSB students enroll under GSBGEN 368. Please email Dr. Prober or Professor Meehan directly if you have any questions.