Twelve tips for developing palliative care teaching in an undergraduate curriculum for medical students

Abstract

Palliative care is the holistic care of patients with advanced, progressive incurable illness. Palliative care is well recognized as an essential component of medical student curricula. However, teaching is variable within medical schools. Using current literature, these tips aim to highlight key points necessary to facilitate the development and delivery of palliative care teaching to medical students. The key practice points include: clinical exposure to patients with palliative care needs and those that are dying, being compulsory (and integrated) across the course, summative and formative assessments to encourage learning, support from within the university for curricular time and development, visits to a hospice/inpatient palliative care facility, emphasis on clinically based learning later in the course, teaching by specialists in palliative care as well as specialists in other areas including Family Doctors/General Practitioners, innovative teaching methods and inter-professional learning to develop teaching.

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of this article.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Jason W. Boland

Jason W. Boland, SFHEA, FRCP, PhD, is a Senior Clinical Lecturer and Honorary Consultant in Palliative Medicine at Hull York Medical School, combining clinical and academic (research and education) work. He teaches medical students, is the Academic Lead for Palliative Care and the Director of the Hull York Medical School Gateway to Medicine course.

Stephen Barclay

Stephen Barclay, FRCGP, MD, FHEA, is University Senior Lecturer in Palliative Care and General Practice at the University of Cambridge, where he leads the teaching of Palliative Care in the medical school. He works clinically as an Honorary Consultant in Palliative Medicine and GP and co-leads the Association for Palliative Medicine Special Interest Forum on Undergraduate Medical Education

Jane Gibbins

Jane Gibbins, MBChB, MRCP, MD, is a consultant in Palliative Medicine at Cornwall Hospice Care working in inpatient hospice, acute hospital and with community teams. She carried out a MD which explored the factors that help or hinder teaching about palliative care within medical schools, and how junior doctors learn to care for the dying. She teaches medical students at Exeter University Medical School.