Can e-learning help surface or change medical students' attitudes towards palliative care, death and dying?

Purpose. Most undergraduate palliative care curricula omit pediatric palliative care (PPC) issues. Aim of the study was to evaluate the pilot education programme.Methods. All 391 students of Faculty of Medicine (FM) and 59 students of Division of Nursing (DN) were included in anonymous questionnaire study. Respondents were tested on their knowledge and attitude towards PPC issues before and at the end of the programme and were expected to evaluate the programme at the end.Results. For final analysis, authors qualified 375 double forms filled in correctly (320 FM and 55 DN). Before the programme, students’ knowledge assessed on 0–100-point scale was low (FM: median: 43.35 points; 25%–75%: (40p–53.3p); DN: 26.7p; 13.3p–46.7p), and, in addition, there were differences (P<0.001) between both faculties. Upon completion of the programme, significant increase of the level of knowledge in both faculties was noted (FM: 80p; 73.3–100; DN: 80p; 66.7p–80p). Participation in the programme changed declared attitudes towards some aspects of withholding of special procedures, euthanasia, and abortion. Both groups of students positively evaluated the programme.Conclusions. This study identifies medical students' limited knowledge of PPC. Educational intervention changes students' attitudes to the specific end-of-life issues. There is a need for palliative care curricula evaluation.

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Respecting patient choices: using the ’Go Wish' cards as a teaching tool

BMJ Supportive & Palliative Care ◽

10.1136/bmjspcare-2017-001342 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 8 (2) ◽

pp. 194-197 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Hibah Osman ◽

Katia El Jurdi ◽

Ramzi Sabra ◽

Thalia Arawi

Keyword(s):

Palliative Care ◽

Medical Education ◽

Medical Students ◽

End Of Life ◽

Thematic Analysis ◽

Death And Dying ◽

Teaching Tool ◽

Student Reflection ◽

Second Year ◽

Self Discovery

BackgroundIndividuals have different values and priorities that can have an important impact on their medical management. Understanding this concept can help physicians provide medical care that is in line with the goals of their patients. Communicating this message effectively to students is challenging.ObjectiveTo report our experience with using Go Wish cards in the medical education setting.DesignA thematic analysis of student reflection papers using grounded theory.Setting/SubjectsSecond-year medical students participated in an activity using the Go Wish cards as part of a course module on palliative care. The activity aimed to encourage students to reflect on their own choices at the end of life and to highlight that different people have different priorities.ResultsForty-two students (42%) mentioned the Go Wish activity in their reflections on the module. They reported that the activity demonstrated the different priorities at the end of life, it illustrated the importance of providing personalised care, it promoted self-discovery, it transformed their view of death and dying, and it increased their appreciation of the importance of palliative care.ConclusionGo Wish cards can be used to help illustrate the variability in priorities of patients. They can be used as an effective to teach medical students about the importance of considering patient preferences when illness progresses.

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A 40-Year History of End-of-Life Offerings in US Medical Schools: 1975-2015

American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Medicine® ◽

10.1177/1049909116638071 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 34 (6) ◽

pp. 559-565 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

George E. Dickinson

Keyword(s):

Palliative Care ◽

Medical Students ◽

End Of Life ◽

Geriatric Medicine ◽

Death And Dying ◽

Medical Schools ◽

The United States ◽

Institute Of Medicine ◽

Undergraduate Medical Students ◽

Frequency Distributions

The purpose of this longitudinal study of US medical schools over a 40-year period was to ascertain their offerings on end-of-life (EOL) issues. At 5-year intervals, beginning in 1975, US medical schools were surveyed via a questionnaire to determine their EOL offerings. Data were reported with frequency distributions. The Institute of Medicine has encouraged more emphasis on EOL issues over the past 2 decades. Findings revealed that undergraduate medical students in the United States are now exposed to death and dying, palliative care, and geriatric medicine. The inclusion of EOL topics has definitely expanded over the 40-year period as findings reveal that US undergraduate medical students are currently exposed in over 90% of programs to death and dying, palliative care, and geriatric medicine, with the emphasis on these topics varying with the medical programs. Such inclusion should produce future favorable outcomes for undergraduate medical students, patients, and their families.

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An Important But Stressful Part of Their Future Work: Medical Students' Attitudes to Palliative Care Throughout Their Course

Journal of Pain and Symptom Management ◽

10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2014.06.004 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 49 (2) ◽

pp. 231-242 ◽

Cited By ~ 17

Author(s):

Stephen Barclay ◽

Rebecca Whyte ◽

Pia Thiemann ◽

John Benson ◽

Diana F. Wood ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Palliative Care ◽

Medical Students ◽

Students Attitudes ◽

Future Work

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Death and End of Life: Perceptions Throughout The Career About Death, Palliative Care, and Educational Process

Journal of Palliative Care ◽

10.1177/0825859720923435 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 082585972092343

Author(s):

Maria Luiza Galoro Corradi ◽

Etienne Duim ◽

Cibele Isaac Saad Rodrigues

Keyword(s):

Palliative Care ◽

Clinical Practice ◽

Medical Students ◽

Medical School ◽

End Of Life ◽

Death And Dying ◽

Educational Process ◽

Undergraduate Medical Students ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Attending Physicians

Purpose: To evaluate the perception of attending physicians, medical residents, and undergraduate medical students about death and dying, the end of life (EoL), and palliative care (PC) during training and clinical practice, highlighting knowledge gaps, and the changes needed in medical school curricula. Method: Cross-sectional study of 12 attending physicians, residents, and undergraduate medical students randomly selected from a single teaching hospital in São Paulo, Brazil, 2018. Semi-structured interviews were conducted, transcripts were coded in depth, and categorizing analysis was carried out. Results: Three topical categories were recognized: Negative feelings about death and the EoL, importance of PC, and gaps in curricular structure hindering preparedness for PC and EoL communication. Besides differing perspectives depending on their years of experience, all participants strongly endorsed that the current medical school curriculum does not train and support physicians to handle EoL and PC. Conclusions: Medical education plays a fundamental role in the development of knowledge and skills on death, dying, and PC. Such practices should extend throughout the course and be continuously improved after graduates move to clinical practice.

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Medical students’ attitudes towards participating in a palliative medicine course: A new specialty in Israel

Palliative & Supportive Care ◽

10.1017/s1478951517000943 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 16 (5) ◽

pp. 528-533 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Gil Bar-Sela ◽

Inbal Mitnik ◽

Daniela Zalman ◽

Ezequiel Flechter ◽

Hedva Sheinman-Yuffe ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Palliative Care ◽

Medical Students ◽

Palliative Medicine ◽

Future Studies ◽

Daily Work ◽

High Satisfaction ◽

Program Content ◽

Preliminary Study ◽

Students Attitudes ◽

Care Course

AbstractBackgroundPalliative medicine is a growing field in Israel, and its training program is still in process. The current study aimed to evaluate students’ attitudes regarding a course in palliative care established in a division of oncology.MethodSome 45 medical students in their 5th to 6th years participated in a one-week course on palliative care. At the end of each training week, students were asked to complete a questionnaire, evaluating their attitudes regarding different aspects of the program content, such as its importance and relevance to their training as physicians, as well as the contribution of specific parts of the program to their knowledge regarding palliative care.ResultsThe overall satisfaction of the 45 students was high. The most contributory parts of the course were the multidisciplinary team and the complementary and alternative medicine. Participating in the staff meetings and accompanying physicians in their daily work were scored as the least contributory parts.Significance of resultsThis preliminary study demonstrated students’ overall high satisfaction with the newly established palliative care course and their need for more practical skills. Future studies should investigate and evaluate educational programs in palliative care in order to establish suitable training for medical students.

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