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Experience with hospice: reflections from third-year medical students.
Terri L Maxwell1, Emilie S Passow, James Plumb
1Center for Palliative Care, Department of Family Medicine, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19107, USA. terri.maxwell@mail.tju.edu
Journal of Palliative Medicine
|February 8, 2003
Summary
Third-year medical students gained valuable insights into palliative care through hospice visits. This experiential education highlighted the importance of empathy, hope, and the physician's role in end-of-life care.
Area of Science:
- Medical Education
- Palliative Care
- Experiential Learning
Background:
- Growing emphasis on experiential education in healthcare.
- Increasing interest in palliative care for health professionals.
Purpose of the Study:
- To provide third-year medical students with first-hand exposure to hospice care.
- To explore student understanding of end-of-life care through reflection.
Main Methods:
- Incorporated hospice visits into the family medicine community rotation.
- Analyzed student reflection papers to identify emergent themes.
Main Results:
- Seven key themes emerged: value of hospice, empathy, acceptance vs. resignation, evolving hope, death as natural, family caregiving quality, and physician's role.
- Identified home visits as valuable settings for palliative care experiences.
Conclusions:
- Experiential learning through hospice visits enhances medical students' understanding of palliative care.
- Narrative assignments are effective tools for fostering reflection in medical education.