M Weber1, S Schmiedel2, F Nauck3, B Alt-Epping4. 1. Interdiszplinäre Abteilung für Palliativmedizin, III. Medizinische Klinik, Universitätsmedizin Mainz, Mainz, Deutschland. 2. Institut für Medizinische Biometrie, Epidemiologie und Informatik (IMBEI), Universitätsmedizin Mainz, Mainz, Deutschland. 3. Klinik für Palliativmedizin, Universitätsmedizin Göttingen, Robert-Koch-Str. 40, 37075, Göttingen, Deutschland. 4. Klinik für Palliativmedizin, Universitätsmedizin Göttingen, Robert-Koch-Str. 40, 37075, Göttingen, Deutschland. bernd.alt-epping@med.uni-goettingen.de.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The practical year (PY) during the final year of medical education is intended to deepen and broaden knowledge, skills, and abilities that were acquired during previous years of their studies. Against this background, this study pursues the question of how the knowledge of future physicians and their confidence in terms of cancer pain therapy and other palliative care issues develops during the PY. MATERIALS AND METHODS: At the end of the PY, students from two university hospitals completed a 3-part online questionnaire (self-assessment of the confidence, questions about palliative care knowledge, and assessment of palliative care training during the PY). These results are compared with previously published data from the same collective that had been collected at the beginning of the PY. RESULTS: Overall, 92 of 318 students participated (28.9 %). Less than 10 % of students said that they were more confident regarding palliative care topics at the end of their medical studies. Improvements in the self-assessment could only be observed in the recognition of and screening for cancer pain (increase from 36 % to 65%). With regard to the palliative care knowledge, only the knowledge of how to treat symptoms other than pain improved significantly; however, knowledge in this regard prior to the PY was particularly low (an increase from 25 % to 35 %, p < 0.05). In the only multiple-choice question about ethics, the correct answer rose slightly from 51 % (before) to 55 % (after the PY). Of participating students, 21% (prior to the PY 27 %) stated that not providing fluids to dying patients is a form of euthanasia. In terms of palliative care training, between 36 and 83 % of participants stated having insufficient opportunities to gain knowledge and experience on various topics in the treatment of patients with advanced and incurable diseases during their PY. CONCLUSION: In the present study, considerable deficits in confidence and knowledge regarding palliative care issues were also observed at the end of PY. Integration of palliative care into the medical school curriculums should be given special attention in terms of a longitudinal training of the PY.
BACKGROUND: The practical year (PY) during the final year of medical education is intended to deepen and broaden knowledge, skills, and abilities that were acquired during previous years of their studies. Against this background, this study pursues the question of how the knowledge of future physicians and their confidence in terms of cancer pain therapy and other palliative care issues develops during the PY. MATERIALS AND METHODS: At the end of the PY, students from two university hospitals completed a 3-part online questionnaire (self-assessment of the confidence, questions about palliative care knowledge, and assessment of palliative care training during the PY). These results are compared with previously published data from the same collective that had been collected at the beginning of the PY. RESULTS: Overall, 92 of 318 students participated (28.9 %). Less than 10 % of students said that they were more confident regarding palliative care topics at the end of their medical studies. Improvements in the self-assessment could only be observed in the recognition of and screening for cancer pain (increase from 36 % to 65%). With regard to the palliative care knowledge, only the knowledge of how to treat symptoms other than pain improved significantly; however, knowledge in this regard prior to the PY was particularly low (an increase from 25 % to 35 %, p < 0.05). In the only multiple-choice question about ethics, the correct answer rose slightly from 51 % (before) to 55 % (after the PY). Of participating students, 21% (prior to the PY 27 %) stated that not providing fluids to dying patients is a form of euthanasia. In terms of palliative care training, between 36 and 83 % of participants stated having insufficient opportunities to gain knowledge and experience on various topics in the treatment of patients with advanced and incurable diseases during their PY. CONCLUSION: In the present study, considerable deficits in confidence and knowledge regarding palliative care issues were also observed at the end of PY. Integration of palliative care into the medical school curriculums should be given special attention in terms of a longitudinal training of the PY.
Entities:
Keywords:
Education, palliative medicine; Ethics; Pain management; Survey; Symptom control
Authors: Markus Schrauth; Peter Weyrich; Bernd Kraus; Jana Jünger; Stephan Zipfel; Christoph Nikendei Journal: Z Evid Fortbild Qual Gesundhwes Date: 2009
Authors: Christine Schiessl; Maria Walshe; Svenja Wildfeuer; Philip Larkin; Raymond Voltz; Jana Juenger Journal: J Palliat Med Date: 2013-01 Impact factor: 2.947
Authors: B Ilse; J Hildebrandt; J Posselt; A Laske; I Dietz; G D Borasio; A Kopf; F Nauck; F Elsner; U Wedding; Bernd Alt-Epping Journal: GMS Z Med Ausbild Date: 2012-05-15
Authors: Patricia Raes; Matthias Angstwurm; Pascal Berberat; Martina Kadmon; Jerome Rotgans; Irmgard Streitlein-Böhme; Gerhard Burckhardt; Martin R Fischer Journal: GMS Z Med Ausbild Date: 2014-11-17
Authors: Christian Schulz; Ursula Wenzel-Meyburg; André Karger; Alexandra Scherg; Jürgen In der Schmitten; Thorsten Trapp; Andreas Paling; Simone Bakus; Gesa Schatte; Eva Rudolf; Ulrich Decking; Stephanie Ritz-Timme; Matthias Grünewald; Andrea Schmitz Journal: GMS Z Med Ausbild Date: 2015-02-11