title: Comparison of international medical graduates with US medical students and residents after a four-week course in palliative medicine: a pilot study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The need for doctors who have skills in pain management and palliative medicine is greatest in low and moderate resource countries where patients most frequently present to their health care system with advanced illness and greater than 80% of the global deaths occur. While medical students trained in the United States are required to have training in palliative medicine, international medical graduates (IMGs), who have completed medical school outside North America, may not have the same exposure to palliative medicine training as U.S. physicians. The goal of this study was to evaluate whether a four-week course in palliative medicine could bring IMG attitudes, concerns, competence, and knowledge to the level of U.S. trainees.
  
  
  METHODS
  As part of a prospective cohort study, 21 IMGs from 14 countries participated in a four-week course in palliative medicine. Attitudes, concerns, self-reported competence, and knowledge were assessed pre-course and post-course. The course was evaluated weekly and at the end of the four-week program. The data from the IMGs was compared to data from U.S. medical students and residents using the same assessment tools.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After the course, IMGs had significantly decreased concern about ethical and legal issues in palliative medicine to the level of U.S.-trained residents and a significant increase in knowledge and self-rated competence equivalent to the level of U.S. trainees.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A four-week course in palliative medicine can improve the levels of concern, knowledge and self-assessed competence in IMGs to the level of US trainees.
authors: San Diego Hospice and The Institute for Palliative Medicine, San Diego, California 92103, USA. holly@pallmed.us
authors: Holly B
authors: HB
authors: Yang
authors: Richard A
authors: RA
authors: Nelesen
authors: Lori P
authors: LP
authors: Montross
authors: Stephanie M
authors: SM
authors: Whitmore
authors: Frank D
authors: FD
authors: Ferris
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002983:Clinical Competence; D003479:Curriculum; D004503:Education, Medical, Graduate / Q000458:organization & administration*; D004521:Educational Measurement; D005260:Female; D005550:Foreign Medical Graduates; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency; D008297:Male; D010166:Palliative Care; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States