Faking and the intent to deceive.

SIR,-I was delighted to read the first of the articles (27 September, p 845) by Professor Charles Fletcher on the issue of listening and talking to patients. Medical students learn their medicine by following the example of their seniors. While every attention is paid to the acquisition of the facts about the physical condition, too often insufficient attention is paid to associated emotional problems. A recent workshop run in association with the Association ofMedical Education in Europe debated these difficulties and ways of improving the training of medical students in the understanding of the emotional aspects of patients' conditions. The following transcript is instructive.