By Krishna Chinthapalli London

A group of medical students in Tucson in the US state of Arizona are the first to have completed a course in advanced horsemanship and non-verbal communication, which was introduced at their school last autumn.

The advanced option builds on the success of the original course, entitled "Medicine and horsemanship: an introduction to human non-verbal interaction at the bedside." Both are optional electives to help students improve their bedside manners, and were set up by Professor Allan Hamilton, a renowned neurosurgeon at the University of Arizona.

In each course, up to six medical students go to the Rancho Bosque horse ranch every Friday afternoon, exchanging their white coats for blue jeans, boots, and a hat. At the ranch, students attempt to gain a horse's trust and then persuade it to perform simple tasks, such as trotting in a circle or leaping a hurdle. The students do this by controlling their own body language cues, including posture, facial expressions, movement, and touch.

TIM ANDERSON/REX

Breathe in, breathe out, please

"This course is not about horses; it's about body language" Hamilton told journalists. "Horses are gigantic amplifiers for body language and are extremely sensitive to it."

Towards the end of each session, the students gather to discuss communication skills and practise interview techniques. In the final sessions, the students are assessed on how effectively they can teach horses a new task, as well as on their performance in videotaped interviews with patients. Hamilton emphasises that he is not equating patients with horses but that horses can be used as an adjunct to aid teaching.

Students have found that the courses were hard work, but rewarding. Jennifer Slack, a first year student, says that, like others, she was sceptical initially. However, she thought the introductory course made her more sensitive of her own posture and movements when talking to patients, and she is certain she will be a better doctor because of it.