Palliative care education and knowledge transfer into practice – a multicenter survey among medical students and resident physicians in Germany using a mixed-methods design
PubMed, vol. 41, pp. Doc27
Abstract
Objective: In 2009, Palliative care was incorporated into the medical curriculum as Cross-Sectional Subject 13 (QB13) by means of the revision of the Medical Licensing Regulations for Physicians. The aim of this study was to determine the strengths and deficits of QB13 student education for palliative care in clinical practice in a multi-centre setting and to identify potential for improvement. Methods: Online questionnaires filled out by medical students during their Practical Year (PY) and resident physicians from the university hospitals in Aachen, Düsseldorf, and Cologne were descriptively analyzed using SPSS; free-text responses were categorized and quantified. Semi-structured interviews with the resident physicians (using a mixed-methods design) were analyzed through content analysis. Emerging categories were quantified. Results: Analysis of 130 fully completed questionnaires and 23 interviews revealed that participants particularly benefited from patient- and practice-oriented small-group sessions for their clinical work. Despite some university-specific differences, the PY students identified a need for training in end-of-life-care, while resident physicians saw a need for training primarily in dealing with patients and their relatives. They also reported deficits in transferability. Conclusion: QB13 should be organised in cross-university curricula and provide sufficient resources for practical-oriented small-group teaching. Based on the "unit of care", besides caring for palliative patients, dealing with patients' families should also be an education focus. To improve transferability into clinical practice, students should be actively involved in the care of palliative patients.
Authors 10
-
University of Cologne · University Hospital Cologne
Affiliation as printed
University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine, Cologne, Germany
University Hospital, Centre for Palliative Medicine, Cologne, Germany
-
University of Cologne · University Hospital Cologne
Affiliation as printed
University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine, Cologne, Germany
University Hospital, Centre for Palliative Medicine, Cologne, Germany
-
Affiliation as printed
RWTH Aachen University, Medical Faculty, Clinic for Palliative Medicine, Aachen, Germany
-
Düsseldorf University Hospital · Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf
Affiliation as printed
Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, Medical Faculty, Interdisciplinary Centre for Palliative Medicine, Düsseldorf, Germany
University Hospital Düsseldorf, Centre for Integrated Oncology Aachen Bonn Cologne Düsseldorf (CIO ABCD), Düsseldorf, Germany
-
Düsseldorf University Hospital · Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf
Affiliation as printed
Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, Medical Faculty, Interdisciplinary Centre for Palliative Medicine, Düsseldorf, Germany
University Hospital Düsseldorf, Centre for Integrated Oncology Aachen Bonn Cologne Düsseldorf (CIO ABCD), Düsseldorf, Germany
Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, Medical Faculty and University Hospital Düsseldorf, Department of Anaesthesiology, Düsseldorf, Germany
-
University of Cologne · University Hospital Cologne
Affiliation as printed
University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine, Cologne, Germany
University Hospital Cologne, Institute for Medical Statistics and Bioinformatics, Cologne, Germany
-
University of Cologne · University Hospital Cologne
Affiliation as printed
University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine, Cologne, Germany
University Hospital Cologne, Institute for Medical Statistics and Bioinformatics, Cologne, Germany
-
Affiliation as printed
University Hospital, Centre for Palliative Medicine, Cologne, Germany
-
University of Cologne · University Hospital Cologne
Affiliation as printed
University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine, Cologne, Germany
University Hospital, Centre for Palliative Medicine, Cologne, Germany
University Hospital, Centre for Integrated Oncology Aachen Bonn Cologne Düsseldorf (CIO ABCD), Cologne, Germany
University Hospital, Centre for Health Services Research Cologne (ZVFK), Cologne, Germany
-
Affiliation as printed
University Hospital, Centre for Palliative Medicine, Cologne, Germany
Cited by 1 stored of 1
1 result
No patents citing this paper on Lens.org (checked 2026-10-06).