Death, dying and the medical student

Abstract

The objective of this study was to determine the extent of medical students' experience of death and dying. A questionnaire was given to two groups of Birmingham medical students at the beginning of clinical studies (third year) and in the final year which was designed to estimate their experience of death and of dying people. The questionnaire also explored the students' attitudes to their own future deaths. Questionnaires were returned by 119 third-year and 143 final-year students. Students had little experience of death and what they did have was largely acquired before entry to medical school or in their social rather than medical lives. Where they did have experience of death this was often traumatic and there was little chance for them to have counselling about it. There is need for increased teaching about death and dying particularly before clinical training and at the time of graduation. Another time may be at the beginning of human dissection.

Resiliência em estudantes de medicina ao longo do curso de graduação

“…Algumas situações são mais frequentes e repetitivas: estresse ligado às provas e às vivências ao cuidar dos pacientes com doenças graves ou em fase terminal, no relacionamento interpessoal com superiores que se caracterizam por autoritarismo, rigidez e desumanidade e ao presenciar comportamentos não profissionais por parte de alguns médicos frente aos pacientes. [7][8][9][10][11][12][13] Nos currículos médicos tradicionais esses eventos são observados a partir do quarto ano e têm sua frequência aumentada no internato. Já nas novas grades curriculares, como a de nossa faculdade, o contato com a assistência médica e os pacientes é antecipado já para o início do curso e, portanto, pode ampliar o tempo de exposição a esses estressores.…”

Human gross anatomy: A crucial time to encourage respect and compassion in students

“…Educators in thanatology and medical humanities have developed a respected body of theory and practice that has emphasized the importance of encouraging values of compassion and respect in medical students (see Kubler-Ross, 1969;Kutscher et al, 1987;Kastenbaum, 1986;Marks and Bertman, 1980;Marks, 1985, 1989;Hull, 1991;Dickinson, 1985;Dickinson et al, 1987;Fertiziger, 1988;Druce and Johnson, 1994;Self et al, 1993;Wear, 1987Wear, , 1989.…”

“…They follow objective routines on patients who are treated as objects. T h e dehumanization of both physician and patient is an unhealthy foundation on which to base a profession that aims to heal (see Nuland, 1994;Hull, 1991;Dyer, 1992;Black et al, 1989;Home et al, 1990).…”

“…T h e anatomy laboratory is an appropriate place to introduce such discussions for several important reasons. First, students taking anatomy are beginning their medical education and are highly impressionable (Hull, 1991;Gustavson, 1988;Segal, 1987;Druce and Johnson, 1994). Second, many students admit that they have disturbing psychological and physical reactions during the course of dissection (Horne et al, 1990;Finkelstein and Mathers, 1990;Druce and Johnson, 1994;Penney, 1985).…”

Preclinical student reactions to dissection, death, and dying

“…T h e questionnaire consisted of seven sections (' Table l), and the stimulus items were either constructed d e novo or adapted from reports in the literature that addressed a similar subject (Sckas and Wile, 1980;Finkelstein and hlathers, 1990;Hull, 1991;Evans and Fitzgibbon, 1992;Druce and Johnson, 1994). lJnder "General hlental and Physical Health," the respondents were asked to indicate whether or not changes had occurred in the frequency with which relevant symptoms were experienced since commencing dissection.…”