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RESEARCH PRODUCT

Does interdisciplinary and multiprofessional undergraduate education increase students' self-confidence and knowledge toward palliative care? Evaluation of an undergraduate curriculum design for palliative care at a German academic hospital.

subject

description

Undergraduate palliative care education (UPCE) became mandatory in Germany by 2013. The training in Mainz, addressing fifth-year (5Y) medical students, emphasizes transfer of knowledge and skills. In this study we assessed students' knowledge and students' self-estimation of self-confidence in palliative care (PC) according to Bandura's concept of self-efficacy.The study objective was to evaluate the effects of the Mainz UPCE on students' self-confidence regarding important domains in PC.We conducted a prospective questionnaire-based cohort study with a pre-post design. 5Y medical students (n=329) were asked for self-estimation concerning knowledge, somatic aspects, spiritual and psychological aspects before and after a 7x90-minute teaching course. To assess knowledge, students completed a multiple choice examination at the end of the term.Overall, 156 students completed matched surveys at both points of measurement. The majority of these students felt more confident after the course than before in all aspects of PC (p0.0001). All students passed the exam with average scores greater than 90%.A 7x90-minute interactive tutorial in PC for 5Y medical students is feasible and improves both self-efficacy and knowledge of core PC issues. Whether the effects of the course are long-lasting is the objective for further research.