<p>"I also read in a different study that doctors who chat up their patients were actually less effective. "</p>
<p>It is almost impossible for someone to quantify bedside manner vs being a good doctor. If this were true, taking it to the extreme, we should only have jerks becoming doctors.</p>
<p>Here is the first paragraph in the announcement for new MCAT.</p>
<p>"Starting in 2015, when aspiring doctors take the MCAT® examination, they will need more than a solid basis in the natural sciences. Under changes approved today by the AAMC (Association of American Medical Colleges), they also will need an understanding of the psychology, sociology, and biology that provide the foundation for learning about the human and social components of health. "</p>
<p>Why would they need most of this if bedside manner is irrelevant?</p>