Difficulties encountered in medical interaction during communication due to language discordance may pose risks that can affect patient’s care, and their outcomes. This may necessitate the need for translation or interpretation to provide appropriate medical care. This study aims to assess the impact of an intervention and on how to achieve common ground in a simulated medical interaction when communication occurs through lingua franca and non-verbal support. In this pilot study, participants were shown both a simulation video and an intervention video. The simulation video depicted the first consultation between a patient and a doctor. The intervention video, of a practicing healthcare professional who provides participants with relevant information applicable to such interactions, was subsequently explored in the survey through participant responses. The changes in survey responses before and after the intervention were analyzed using the chi-square test. 37 participants participated in the survey. For the question on provisional diagnosis, the calculated test statistic was less than the observed crucial value (6.9<7.815), thereby signifying impact of the intervention. From this study, it can be seen that the communication trainer’s intervention, which focused on building the conversation, recognizing non-verbal cues, and identifying common language, would be beneficial for the study participants (medical students) in their future clinical practice. This creates awareness that simulated interactions similar to the one used in this study can be used as a training and educational tool for achieving common ground.
