Many healthcare entities across the globe are moving away from the idea of only treating patients' diseases to a model of focusing on the overall well-being of patients. Because of this change, healthcare academia must also focus on this change when helping educate clinical practitioners. One major proponent of this type of care is effective communication between the practitioner and the patient. In order to help students grow in this vital attribute, educators must think outside the normal realm of academia and incorporate experiential learning strategies. One method that is often used to place students in an active environment with exposure to many of the types of patients they would encounter in a clinic setting is service-learning. According to literature, service-learning is often helpful in developing the personal and professional attributes of individuals, including effective communication. This Dissertation in Practice will examine the development of communication skills in RS students involved in service-learning activities. Increased proficiency of this skill will fulfill program specific goals for the BSRS program at the UMMC while also meeting new accreditation standards set forth by JRCERT for all accredited radiography programs. Overall, the goal of this project is to equip radiology students with the skills needed to provide superior, valuable patient care to all patients which provides better patient outcomes, added patient satisfaction, and fulfilled practitioners. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com.bibliotheek.ehb.be/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]