According to the EU Skills Panorama 2014 “health is forecast to be a growth sector, with a net increase of 1.8 million jobs across the EU between 2013 and 2025”. More specifically the report emphasizes that due to new ways of delivering health care, new roles are being created in the health care sector requiring new and diverse skills. These new and emerging skills include the ability to communicate effectively and empathise with patients (including patients from migrant and ROMA backgrounds) as well as the ability to work as part of a multi-disciplinary health care team which many times may include people from very diverse non strictly medical backgrounds. In addition medical personnel require training in the use of communication technologies since these are and will be used more in the health care sector in the coming years. Patient-doctor communication is an integral part of clinical practice, as it comprises the building block upon which the physician's relationship with the patient is based on (Nelson, 2008). In fact, the way in which a doctor communicates information to a patient is equally important as the actual information being communicated. Although communication skills are highlighted as crucial and necessary for Medical Doctors there is limited availability of relevant vocational training opportunities. There is also evidence that communication skills deteriorate during residency and clinical practice years. The offered training, which will be developed, based on good practices and skill needs identification - by physicians themselves - will lead to the definition of skills and validation of competencies as well as delivery of actual training to enable physicians to improve doctor-patient relations and interdisciplinary communication between different medical specialties. The project will develop a comprehensive training curriculum with accompanying material and resources which will be easily replicated across the EU. The aim of this training is to build and strengthen communication skills among medical doctors which will positively influence their work with their patients and their co- workers within the health care setting. The active involvement of the target group in the development of the training tool will ensure that the needs and expectations of medical doctors are addressed while creating a more modern, dynamic, committed and professional health care environment increasing their capacity to work in a European health care environment. This training will help them grow professionally, boost productivity and in the end enhance and improve health care provision. In addition since H-COM training can also be offered as work based we anticipate to create a dynamic environment increasing opportunities for professionals’ development. The main objectives of H-COM are (1) Mapping the precise shortage of relevant training (2) Exploring the needs and perceptions of health professionals concerning communication, (3) Developing, testing, evaluating and validating training in health communication through formal Vocational Training channels (national & EU) and e-learning tools (4) Validating the training program, and identifying key skills and competencies (5) Disseminating widely the training tools, encouraging its exploitation, exchanging best practice and creating networks of cooperation. H-COM consortium comprises 6 partners from 5 countries, Poland, Greece, Cyprus, Spain and Germany. The partnership brings together scientific and research organizations, three universities, professional organizations and vocational training centers. NIOM, the project coordinator, is a large public research organization in Poland and one of the country’s leading centers of provision of vocational training for medical specialists with long experience in coordinating European co-funded projects, public health and vocational training initiatives, as well as education of medical professionals. Cyprus University of Technology, the Technical University of Dresden and La Laguna University offer education and high level research in leading branches of science and technology, assuming also a significant role in policy advocacy for the state and society. CARDET is the leading Research and Development center for vocational training, ICT, and e-learning, in Cyprus. They will have a pivotal role in assuring the training curriculum is developed according to European standards of accreditation and recognition. Expected results include up to date mapping of European training in health communication, definition of necessary skills and competencies and an innovative training tool to deliver these skills and competencies to medical doctors through face to face and an e-learning platform; H-COM aims at increasing knowledge, building capacity and raising awareness among medical doctors on health communication issues. Long term H-COM aims to improve patient-doctor relationship and ultimately patient health outcomes.