Teaching palliative care in general practice: a survey of educational needs and preferences

We surveyed general practitioners in the Bath District Health Authority to determine their educational needs in palliative care and their preferred methods of learning, in order to develop an appropriate education program. The survey confirmed our ideas as to the content of the program. There was support for our hypothesis that the majority would favor didactic approaches and would feel generally uncomfortable with experiential methods. The issue of professionals' needs in stressful situations proved to be a surprisingly strong one.