Vaccine Education: From Foundations to Clinical Application

Vaccine hesitancy is a major health concern. While there are varied reasons for this hesitancy, clinicians serve as a primary resource and touchpoint for vaccine information and advocacy. Clinician–patient conversations about vaccination are vital to maintaining high immunization rates, thereby protecting the community from vaccine-preventable infectious diseases and their associated morbidity and mortality. Studies have shown that knowledgeable, yet thoughtful and empathetic communication strategies are most effective in building trusting relationships about vaccination between clinicians and patients. This chapter introduces a strategic framework for a vaccine curriculum centered on vaccine knowledge and communication strategies that can be integrated into health professions training. When implemented into health professions education, these communication strategies will prepare future clinicians with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary to identify, prevent, and challenge health misinformation and mistrust in science and vaccines.