Palliative care (PC) education for medical students: An unresolved need

Abstract

e20704 Background: Chapters contained in subjects other than PC lack the specificity and the integration of concepts to impact quality of care. Since 2005 an elective subject is part of the undergraduate curriculum of the medical school of the UNR. Teaching is case based in large groups with elective rotations to an acute care hospital PC team. Methods: To evaluate if this subject, as it is outlined, produces sensitization about PC, results of initial surveys (IS) (358) and final surveys (FS) (292) performed each year were compared and changes over time evaluated. Summary measures were calculated and hypothesis tests were done. Results: Students average age: 23 years. Female sex: 75.8%. Global answer rate of IS: 86.77% (range: 76.2% to 96%) and of FS: 76.65% (range: 68% to 85.9%). Composition of courses according to year of study. Quantity of IS and FS/ year. Differences in identification of the objectives of PC between IS and FS was statistically significant (p = 0.002) only in 2005. In 2006 (p = 0.195), 2007 (p = 0.318), and 2008 (p = 0.10) there was not statistical significance. Average 97.3% (range: 93% to 100%) of students considered the contents of the subject will impact in their practice and 95,75% (range: 91.5% to 98.5%) found them useful. 87% (range: 87.3% to 94.1%) positively changed their vision of interdisciplinary team work. Conclusions: Few students have a correct knowledge of PC at the beginning of the course; this knowledge is increased at the end of each course without reaching statistical significance except in 2005 (p = 0.002), when all the students were in the third year of study. [Table: see text] No significant financial relationships to disclose.