Outcomes from a national multispecialty palliative care curriculum development project

In 1998 we completed a successful regional pilot project in palliative care curriculum development among 32 internal medicine residency programs recruited from the mid-western United States. Between 1999 and 2004 this project was expanded to include 358 U.S. programs, from four specialties, based on new training requirements in internal medicine, family medicine, neurology, and general surgery.

To assess the 1-year outcomes from residency programs participating in a national multispecialty palliative care curriculum development project.

Outcome data obtained from residency programs' responses to a structured progress report 12 months after enrolling in the project and from published residency project reports.

Three hundred fifty-eight residency programs, representing 27% of all eligible training programs in the four specialties, participated in the project. Outcome data was available from 224 residencies (63%). Most programs started new teaching in pain, non-pain symptom management, and communication skills. More than 50% of programs integrated palliative care topics within established institutional grand rounds, morbidity/mortality conferences or morning report. More than 70% of internal medicine and family practice programs began new direct patient care training opportunities utilizing hospital-based palliative care or hospice programs. New faculty development initiatives and use of quality improvement projects to drive curriculum change were reported in less than 50% of programs.

Focused short-term instruction in palliative care curriculum development, in a diverse group of residency programs, is feasible and associated with significant curriculum change.