Performance and palliative care: a drama module for medical students

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Arts in Medicine
• Palliative Care

Background:

• Medical education requires innovative approaches to develop essential non-technical skills.
• Palliative care training necessitates effective methods for exploring complex humanistic aspects of medicine.
• Drama offers a unique pedagogical tool for experiential learning in healthcare settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe an innovative 2-week module for medical students integrating drama and palliative medicine.
• To explore the learning outcomes and practical aspects of using drama in medical education.
• To identify themes from dramatic works relevant to clinical practice and ethical considerations.

Main Methods:

• A 2-week interdisciplinary module co-facilitated by drama educators and a palliative medicine doctor.
• Incorporation of dramatic techniques, reflective practice, and discussion of end-of-life care themes.
• Analysis of student engagement and learning outcomes related to teamwork and self-awareness.

Main Results:

• Themes from Harold Pinter's 'The Caretaker' (silence, power, communication, uncertainty) resonated with clinical practice.
• The module fostered enhanced student confidence, self-awareness, ethical thinking, and teamwork.
• Practical aspects of drama facilitation and learning were evaluated.

Conclusions:

• Drama-based learning provides a valuable experiential approach to medical education.
• This module effectively enhanced key professional competencies for medical students in palliative care.
• Integrating arts into medical training can improve holistic patient care and physician well-being.