Recent communication training for health care clinicians has given little if any emphasis to systematic skills training in "giving" information to patients and others. The purpose of the communication unit presented to second-year medical students at the University of Calgary, Canada, is to enhance the clinician's ability to communicate effectively. The unit consists of four phases: (1) introduction, overview, medical interviews, and evaluation; (2) psychosocial issues and difficult situations; (3) giving information to patients, definitive counseling, and supportive counseling in specific "difficult situations"; and (4) giving specific information to patients, and integrating communication skills. The course establishes the value of viewing the giving of counsel to patients as a four-sided process that includes directive, advocacy, informative, and supportive counseling. A final three-part exercise gives students opportunity to observe and/or practice information-giving skills and to integrate the various communication tasks together into a whole: part 1 is an evaluation interview including a physical exam, part 2 is a small group problem-solving session, and part 3 is a planned individual counseling session observed by the rest of the class. During their third year, the students have considerable additional opportunities to observe and participate in patient evaluations, preliminary counseling, and definitive counseling. (HTH)