Teaching third-year medical students how to care for terminally ill patients

Most medical schools in the United States introduce students to the care of dying patients. In most cases, there is no immediate practical application of the material, and many medical students find it very difficult to interact with a terminally ill person in a clinical situation. The authors describe a successful seven-day course offered annually since 1979 to third-year medical students. The course is an integrated program for teaching the students an effective way to deal with terminal illness, using lectures, audiovisual aids, and group and individual sessions to enhance self-awareness and a practical application of the material in a clinical setting.