The American journal of hospice & palliative care
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Am J Hosp Palliat Care · Dec 2019
Enhancing Medical Learners' Knowledge of, Comfort and Confidence in Holding Serious Illness Conversations.
Having early discussions with seriously ill patients about their priorities and values can improve their peace of mind and family outcomes during bereavement; however, physicians and medical students report feeling underprepared to hold serious illness conversations. We evaluated the impact of the Serious Illness Care Program clinician training workshop on medical learners' knowledge of comfort and confidence in holding such conversations. ⋯ Training on the use of the SICG is novel for medical students and first-year residents and associated with the improvement in their knowledge of and perceived capacity to hold serious illness conversations. This study suggests that the integration of SICG training into medical curricula may have educational value.