Personal loss in health professions graduate students: implications for clinical education in bereavement

Abstract

The impact of prior personal grief on the educational experience of health care graduate students participating as co-facilitators in bereavement support groups was examined in this study. Personal experience with the death of a family member or close friend was reported in 80% of participating students. Findings suggest that grief, and the students’ construction of the meaning of their loss, can mediate the students’ developing sense of self as a professional helper. Active engagement with grieving persons, the opportunity for self-disclosure and reflection, and teacher–facilitator provision of emotional guidance and modeling contributed positively to learning.

Keywords:

• bereavement care education
• graduate students
• personal loss
• meaning-making