Development, implementation, and evaluation of the Student Optimized Learning Environment (SOLE): A longitudinal team- based communication skills curriculum for medical students

Background Teamwork and effective communication are essential for delivering high-quality patient care. In clinical contexts, successful teamwork depends on strong interpersonal and communication skills, making their development a critical component of undergraduate medical education. Methods To strengthen medical students’ teamwork abilities, we developed a longitudinal, team-based communication skills curriculum. Guided by Kern’s six-step framework, we designed a small-group–based program to foster team communication, promote collaborative learning, and build feedback skills. The Student Optimized Learning Environment (SOLE) curriculum consisted of nine sessions in which students applied communication frameworks, engaged in structured reflection, and participated in case-based scenario discussions. Participants completed a curricular evaluation that included survey items and free-response questions. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, and qualitative comments underwent thematic analysis. Results SOLE was piloted as a required curriculum for all medical students at a single academic medical school between 2019 and 2022. Of 174 participating students, 138 (79%) completed evaluations. Students’ responses indicated that SOLE helped them reflect on and understand team dynamics (mean = 3.74, SD = 0.9; 1 = strongly disagree, 5 = strongly agree), practice relationship-centered communication skills (3.72, 0.9), and learn (3.74, 0.9) and practice (3.69, 0.9) feedback skills. Qualitatively, students described applying skills to real-life situations, working with peers, and debriefing challenging team experiences as valued aspects of the curriculum. Conclusion SOLE is a longitudinal, team-based communication skills curriculum aimed at fostering teamwork, feedback, and reflection within peer learning groups. Preliminary curricular evaluation indicated that SOLE offered a structured opportunity for students to engage with communication frameworks and explore strategies for effective team-based learning. Trial registration This study did not involve a clinical trial and therefore was not registered in a clinical trials registry.