Words that work: Communication skills for challenging conversations in rehabilitation

Friday, February 20, 2026

3:30 PM - 5:00 PM AST

Location: 103 AB

Course Director(s)

Scott Campea, MD

Assistant Professor
Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, UW School of Medicine
Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center

Faculty(s)

Julia Fram, MD

Assistant Professor
Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, UW School of Medicine

Speaker(s)

Grady Paden, MD (he/him/his)

Professor of Clinical Medicine
Department of Medicine, UW School of Medicine

Brief Session Description : Communication skills are critical for the effective delivery of serious news when caring for patients with a range of life-altering conditions in a variety of rehabilitation settings. This session begins with an overview of why these skills are important. We will then introduce audience members to a framework for engaging in these conversations. We will practice sharing serious news with patient-centered language in the form of a “headline”, and learn to recognize and respond to the emotions that often occur afterwards. We plan to provide resources audience members can use in their own practice settings.