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A faculty development course for end-of-life care.
1Department of Internal Medicine, Palliative Medicine Program, Division of Hematology Oncology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA.
Journal of Palliative Medicine
|April 30, 2005
Summary
A faculty development course improved palliative medicine knowledge and teaching skills among healthcare professionals. Despite low attendance, participants reported significant gains in end-of-life care confidence and clinical practice.
Area of Science:
- Medical Education
- Palliative Care
- Faculty Development
Background:
- Palliative medicine training is crucial for medical students and housestaff.
- Existing training opportunities in palliative medicine require enhancement.
- Faculty development is key to improving medical education.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the effectiveness of a faculty development course in palliative medicine.
- To enhance faculty's knowledge and teaching skills in end-of-life care.
- To improve palliative care education for medical trainees.
Main Methods:
- An 8-week, 12-contact-hour course was designed for 15 faculty members.
- Educational formats included didactics, case studies, and action plans.
- Retrospective pre/post self-evaluation assessed knowledge, confidence, and skills.
Main Results:
- Ten faculty attended at least three sessions; the course was well-endorsed.
- Significant improvements were noted in end-of-life care knowledge (8/11 areas).
- Self-assessed education skills improved in 6/7 content areas; confidence increased.
Conclusions:
- The faculty development course effectively improved end-of-life care knowledge and teaching skills.
- Despite attendance challenges, participating faculty reported significant benefits.
- The course provided valuable skills for training diverse learners in palliative medicine.