Steven Walker1, Jane Gibbins2, Stephen Barclay3, Astrid Adams4, Paul Paes5, Madawa Chandratilake6, Faye Gishen7, Philip Lodge7, Bee Wee4. 1. Marie Curie Hospice, Hampstead, London, UK Centre for Medical Education, University of Dundee, Dundee, UK St Giles Medical, London, UK steven.walker@stgmed.com. 2. Cornwall Hospice Care, Royal Cornwall Hospital Trust and Peninsula Medical School, Cornwall, UK. 3. University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK. 4. Sir Michael Sobell House, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK. 5. Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust and Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK. 6. Centre for Medical Education, University of Dundee, Dundee, UK Faculty of Medicine, University of Kelaniya, Kelaniya, Sri Lanka. 7. Marie Curie Hospice, Hampstead, London, UK Royal Free Hospital, University College London, London, UK.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Effective undergraduate education is required to enable newly qualified doctors to safely care for patients with palliative care and end-of-life needs. The status of palliative care teaching for UK medical students is unknown. AIM: To investigate palliative care training at UK medical schools and compare with data collected in 2000. DESIGN: An anonymised, web-based multifactorial questionnaire. SETTINGS/PARTICIPANTS: Results were obtained from palliative care course organisers at all 30 medical schools in 2013 and compared with 23 medical schools (24 programmes) in 2000. RESULTS: All continue to deliver mandatory teaching on 'last days of life, death and bereavement'. Time devoted to palliative care teaching time varied (2000: 6-100 h, mean 20 h; 2013: 7-98 h, mean 36 h, median 25 h). Current palliative care teaching is more integrated. There was little change in core topics and teaching methods. New features include 'involvement in clinical areas', participation of patient and carers and attendance at multidisciplinary team meetings. Hospice visits are offered (22/24 (92%) vs 27/30 (90%)) although they do not always involve patient contact. There has been an increase in students' assessments (2000: 6/24, 25% vs 2013: 25/30, 83%) using a mixture of formative and summative methods. Some course organisers lack an overview of what is delivered locally. CONCLUSION: Undergraduate palliative care training continues to evolve with greater integration, increased teaching, new delivery methods and wider assessment. There is a trend towards increased patient contact and clinical involvement. A minority of medical schools offer limited teaching and patient contact which could impact on the delivery of safe palliative care by newly qualified doctors.
BACKGROUND: Effective undergraduate education is required to enable newly qualified doctors to safely care for patients with palliative care and end-of-life needs. The status of palliative care teaching for UK medical students is unknown. AIM: To investigate palliative care training at UK medical schools and compare with data collected in 2000. DESIGN: An anonymised, web-based multifactorial questionnaire. SETTINGS/PARTICIPANTS: Results were obtained from palliative care course organisers at all 30 medical schools in 2013 and compared with 23 medical schools (24 programmes) in 2000. RESULTS: All continue to deliver mandatory teaching on 'last days of life, death and bereavement'. Time devoted to palliative care teaching time varied (2000: 6-100 h, mean 20 h; 2013: 7-98 h, mean 36 h, median 25 h). Current palliative care teaching is more integrated. There was little change in core topics and teaching methods. New features include 'involvement in clinical areas', participation of patient and carers and attendance at multidisciplinary team meetings. Hospice visits are offered (22/24 (92%) vs 27/30 (90%)) although they do not always involve patient contact. There has been an increase in students' assessments (2000: 6/24, 25% vs 2013: 25/30, 83%) using a mixture of formative and summative methods. Some course organisers lack an overview of what is delivered locally. CONCLUSION: Undergraduate palliative care training continues to evolve with greater integration, increased teaching, new delivery methods and wider assessment. There is a trend towards increased patient contact and clinical involvement. A minority of medical schools offer limited teaching and patient contact which could impact on the delivery of safe palliative care by newly qualified doctors.
Authors: Guilherme Gryschek; Dario Cecilio-Fernandes; Stephen Mason; Marco Antonio de Carvalho-Filho Journal: BMJ Open Date: 2020-06-29 Impact factor: 2.692
Authors: Nicola White; Linda Jm Oostendorp; Christopher Tomlinson; Sarah Yardley; Federico Ricciardi; Hülya Gökalp; Ollie Minton; Jason W Boland; Ben Clark; Priscilla Harries; Patrick Stone Journal: Palliat Med Date: 2019-11-14 Impact factor: 4.762