Journal of cancer education : the official journal of the American Association for Cancer Education
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Over a period of four years the authors developed and integrated into the curriculum of their medical school training programs in palliative medicine. Critical required elements in the freshman year focus on attitudes and the physician's role in the care of terminally ill patients and their families. A 16-hour module has been designed to be a required element for junior students. It includes in-depth classroom and experiential training in palliative medicine. The results of the pilot of this module are presented. ⋯ The majority of students attained the course objectives. Student evaluations of the module were very positive, particularly with regard to the home visits and the need for this training. It is anticipated that the module will be required during the 1999-00 academic year, with each student's performance contributing to his or her final grade in junior medicine.