Palliative care in a Graduate Entry Medical Curriculum: exploring students' attitudes on the importance of receiving teaching in palliative care

BackgroundAs people live longer with life-limiting illnesses, there is greater need for skills and knowledge in palliative care (PC). Medical students should acquire the knowledge, attitudes, and confidence during training for future decision-making. However, most graduates across Europe feel unprepared to provide PC. To develop PC training for medical students, we must gain perspective on their understanding of PC and their learning needs.ObjectivesThe aim was to investigate graduate entry medical students' views on the importance of education in PC and how well PC topics were covered within their curriculum. The objective was to highlight areas that could be reviewed for future PC curricula.MethodsIn this prospective quantitative study, penultimate and final-year students were recruited from a graduate entry medical school. Ethical approval was granted. Students completed an online questionnaire.ResultsFrom 281 recruited students, 82 responded. Ninety-five percent of respondents felt everyone should have a PC rotation. The aspects of education perceived to be most important were knowledge of symptom control, communication, ethical issues, self-care, and grief. The only aspect considered well covered within the curriculum was ethical issues. Ninety-six percent of penultimate and 75% of final years wanted more teaching in PC.ConclusionGraduate entry medical students view PC as a vital subject within their medical school training. The study highlights challenges in providing education and sufficient placement in PC to correlate with the respondents' perceived needs. The findings contribute to the growing literature surrounding the importance of PC education within the medical school curriculum.