Impact of a Curriculum Reform in Graduate Students Self-Reported Palliative Care Competencies

Expanding quality basic palliative care (PC) training for undergraduate health professionals is a key strategy to secure timely access to PC for the large population in need. However, evidence on the impact of changes in undergraduate medical curriculum in PC remains limited. This study aimed to assess the impact of expanded undergraduate PC training on students' self-perceived competencies, knowledge, and training adequacy, comparing cohorts before and after a curricular reform.

In this cross-sectional study, recently graduated medical students from two cohorts at the same university-one with limited exposure and the other with extended exposure to a PC curriculum-were invited to complete an electronic survey. The aim was to assess their perception of the PC training received during medical school, their self-assessed core competencies, and their knowledge in the field.

157 (64%) out of 244 graduates answered the survey. Students exposed to the extended PC curriculum, more frequently reported that the theoretical and practical contents received were sufficient (P < 0.001), had higher scores in PC knowledge assessment and, reported having significantly more skills to deliver bad news (P = 0.01), to evaluate physical symptoms (P = 0.04), spiritual symptoms (P = 0.01), to explain what the PC consist of (P = 0.028) and to evaluate emotional symptoms (P = 0.003).

Integrating and increasing exposure to PC training throughout the entire medical school curriculum enhances recently graduated medical students' perception of the adequacy of their training, strengthens their self-perceived competencies, and improves their knowledge in PC.