UW improv class helps med students improve interpersonal skills

MADISON (WKOW) -- For the past 10 years, the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health has used improv classes to help medical students develop their interpersonal skills.

The leader of the class, Amy Zelenski, professor of medicine at the school, has published two papers showing the success of this approach.

"Improv is about attuning, attuning to the environment, to yourself, to the other person in the environment, affirming," said Zelenski. "So whatever that person is bringing in, and whatever you're bringing in that's there, and then advancing the situation."

Students who participated in the class showed improvement in helping others feel at ease, communicated clearly and showed more care and compassion.

"If a patient is asking you about something right before s