This article explores how the absence of effective verbal and nonverbal communication in the physician-patient encounter can lead to poor outcomes for patients and physicians alike. The article discusses legal and ethical topics physicians should consider during a medical encounter and provides educational and practical suggestions for improving effective communication between physicians and their patients. IntroductionConsider the hypothetical case of a young university student, Patient Johnson, who enters the doctor's office experiencing frequent headaches and anxiety. After checking in and waiting in the main office, Johnson is greeted by a nurse and taken back to an exam room, where she anxiously sits and waits for 20 minutes for the physician to arrive. Dr. Smith enters the room, quickly glances at the chart, remains standing, and begins asking a series of general questions using a slew of medical terminology-particularly psychological and neurological vocabulary-when responding to Johnson's concerns about headaches. While Dr. Smith does not appear concerned, the use of unfamiliar terms leaves Johnson uneasy and unclear about her current health status.