BACKGROUND: The need for undergraduate medical education in palliative care is widely recognised. An optional student-selected module 'Fundamentals of Palliative Medicine' was introduced in 2011 and offered to third-year medical students. The overall objective of the module was to develop students' knowledge, attitudes and skills in palliative care. AIM: To assess impact of the module in terms of qualitative and quantitative measures, and to improve the module design and content for future years. METHODS: Students completed validated tools (Self Efficacy in Palliative Care and Thanatophobia Scale (TS)) premodule and postmodule. A Minute Paper was completed at the penultimate session with students identifying areas they had a good understanding of, and issues they still found unclear. RESULTS: Twenty-four of 155 eligible students chose the module. Significant differences were seen in premodule and postmodule Self Efficacy in Palliative Care scores (communication p<0.0001, patient management p=0.0002 and teamwork p=0.03). No difference was seen in TS score. Five main themes emerged from the qualitative analysis of the Minute Paper: changes to attitudes and knowledge, psychological effects, teaching methods, careers in palliative care, and further palliative care learning needs. Several students commented that the module should be core curriculum. CONCLUSIONS: The module was a popular choice with students, was well received, and appears to have had a significant educational impact in terms of changing students' attitudes and perceived knowledge and skills in palliative care.
BACKGROUND: The need for undergraduate medical education in palliative care is widely recognised. An optional student-selected module 'Fundamentals of Palliative Medicine' was introduced in 2011 and offered to third-year medical students. The overall objective of the module was to develop students' knowledge, attitudes and skills in palliative care. AIM: To assess impact of the module in terms of qualitative and quantitative measures, and to improve the module design and content for future years. METHODS: Students completed validated tools (Self Efficacy in Palliative Care and Thanatophobia Scale (TS)) premodule and postmodule. A Minute Paper was completed at the penultimate session with students identifying areas they had a good understanding of, and issues they still found unclear. RESULTS: Twenty-four of 155 eligible students chose the module. Significant differences were seen in premodule and postmodule Self Efficacy in Palliative Care scores (communication p<0.0001, patient management p=0.0002 and teamwork p=0.03). No difference was seen in TS score. Five main themes emerged from the qualitative analysis of the Minute Paper: changes to attitudes and knowledge, psychological effects, teaching methods, careers in palliative care, and further palliative care learning needs. Several students commented that the module should be core curriculum. CONCLUSIONS: The module was a popular choice with students, was well received, and appears to have had a significant educational impact in terms of changing students' attitudes and perceived knowledge and skills in palliative care.
Entities:
Keywords:
Education and training; Special study module; Undergraduate medical
Authors: Juho T Lehto; Kati Hakkarainen; Pirkko-Liisa Kellokumpu-Lehtinen; Tiina Saarto Journal: BMC Palliat Care Date: 2017-01-25 Impact factor: 3.234
Authors: Benjamin Ilse; Bernd Alt-Epping; Isabel Kiesewetter; Frank Elsner; Johanna Hildebrandt; Alexander Laske; Alexandra Scherg; Christine Schiessl Journal: BMC Med Educ Date: 2015-09-17 Impact factor: 2.463