Wednesday, June 29, 2005
Academic Medicine devotes an issue to Palliative Care instruction
July's Academic Medicine devotes most of its issue to palliative care education for physicians, residents, and medical students. Among the many articles are reviews of Pittsburgh's CEX palliative care training program for residents, Harvard's PCEP for training faculty in palliative care, a review of the literature regarding residents and end of life care (their attitudes, frustrations, training etc.), and some qualitative articles about med students and physicians experiences with patients' deaths. There is way to much to bother trying to summarize but I'll note that this issue presents good evidence that palliative care training does make an impact, and that, despite very much being part of the 'art of medicine,' EOL communication skills can be effectively taught.