title: A workshop to teach medical students communication skills and clinical knowledge about end-of-life care.
abstract: We describe a half-day workshop to teach third-year medical students three focused end-of-life care skills: breaking bad news, discussing advance directives, and assessing and managing pain. Our workshop included a readers' theater exercise and three role-play exercises. In two of the workshops, faculty members played the role of patients. We used readers' theater to engage the students on an emotional level and set a reflective tone for the workshop. Evaluations reflected that most respondents felt that the workshop enhanced their understanding and ability to address these skills with patients. By 6 months, many students reported applying these skills to patient care in a way they thought was effective.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30303, USA. atorke@emory.edu
authors.forename: Alexia M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Torke
authors.forename: Tammie E
authors.initials: TE
authors.lastname: Quest
authors.forename: Kathy
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kinlaw
authors.forename: J William
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Eley
authors.forename: William T
authors.initials: WT
authors.lastname: Branch
mesh_terms: D016223:Advance Directives; D003142:Communication; D003479:Curriculum; D004493:Education / Q000379:methods*; D004504:Education, Medical, Undergraduate; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000379:methods; D012381:Role Playing; D013663:Teaching / Q000379:methods; D013727:Terminal Care; D014342:Truth Disclosure