Teamwork and Communication

Healthcare is a team endeavour. No single person — regardless of their expertise — can provide optimal patient care alone. SJT scenarios frequently test your understanding of effective teamwork, conflict resolution, and communication. This lesson covers how to work in teams, address underperformance, resolve conflicts, and communicate effectively.

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Effective Teamwork in Healthcare

What Good Teamwork Looks Like

Characteristic	In practice
Shared goals	Everyone is focused on the same outcome — optimal patient care
Clear roles	Each team member understands their responsibilities
Open communication	Information flows freely, questions are welcomed
Mutual respect	Every team member's contribution is valued, regardless of seniority
Collective responsibility	The team succeeds or fails together — no blaming individuals
Willingness to help	Team members support each other proactively
Constructive conflict	Disagreements are resolved through discussion, not avoidance or aggression

Common SJT Teamwork Scenarios

Scenario type	What is being tested
A team member is not pulling their weight	How you address underperformance constructively
There is a disagreement about patient management	How you resolve professional disagreements
A colleague asks for help when you are busy	How you balance your own workload with supporting others
You notice a colleague is struggling personally	How you offer support while maintaining boundaries
A team member is being excluded or bullied	How you respond to unprofessional behaviour

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Addressing Underperformance in Colleagues

One of the most commonly tested SJT themes is how to handle a colleague who is not performing adequately.

The Approach

Step	Action	Why
1	Speak to the colleague directly and privately	Give them the opportunity to explain — there may be reasons you are not aware of
2	Be specific about your concerns	Vague feedback is unhelpful; specific examples are actionable
3	Listen to their perspective	They may be dealing with personal issues, lack of training, or excessive workload
4	Offer support	Ask how you can help, suggest resources, recommend they speak to their supervisor
5	Escalate if necessary	If the underperformance continues or affects patient safety, inform a supervisor

What NOT to Do

Action	Why it is inappropriate
Ignoring the problem	It will likely worsen and may affect patient care
Covering for them	Masks the problem and enables it to continue
Criticising them publicly	Unprofessional and damaging — feedback should be private
Going straight to management without speaking to them first	Disproportionate for initial concerns (unless patient safety is at immediate risk)
Gossiping about them with other colleagues	Unprofessional, destructive, and not constructive

SJT Example

Scenario: You notice a fellow medical student has been arriving late to clinical placements and seems unprepared for patient interactions.

Action	Rating
Speak to them privately and express your concern, ask if everything is OK	Very appropriate
Offer to help them prepare or study together	Appropriate, but not ideal — supportive, but does not address the root cause
Report them immediately to the medical school	Inappropriate, but not awful — escalation is premature; speak to them first
Say nothing and focus on your own work	Inappropriate, but not awful — understandable but fails your duty to the colleague and patients

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Conflict Resolution

The CALM Approach

Step	Action
C — Clarify	Understand the other person's perspective. What do they see that you do not?
A — Acknowledge	Show that you have heard and understood their viewpoint, even if you disagree
L — Look for common ground	Identify shared goals (usually patient welfare) as a basis for resolution
M — Move forward	Agree on a specific course of action that both parties can accept

Types of Conflict in SJT

Professional Disagreements

Two team members disagree about the best course of action for a patient.

Appropriate response:

• Discuss the options respectfully, sharing the evidence for each
• If you cannot agree, seek a third opinion from a senior colleague
• Never let professional pride override patient welfare

Interpersonal Conflicts

Two team members do not get along personally, and it is affecting teamwork.

Appropriate response:

• Focus on professional behaviour — you do not need to be friends, but you need to work together
• If the conflict is affecting patient care, raise it with a supervisor
• Avoid taking sides in others' conflicts

Hierarchical Conflicts

A junior and senior team member disagree, and the senior pulls rank.