title: "I will never let that be ok again": student reflections on competent spiritual care for dying patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine medical students' reflections on the spiritual care of a patient who has died so as to understand how students experienced this significant event and how they or their teams addressed patients' spiritual needs.
  
  
  METHODS
  In 2010-2011, the authors gave third-year students at Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine an essay assignment, prompting them to reflect on the experience of the death of one of their patients. The authors analyzed the content of the essays using an iterative, multistep process. Three authors independently coded the essays for themes based on the competencies (developed by Puchalski and colleagues and reflected in the essay prompt) of communication, compassionate presence, patient care, and personal and professional development. The authors reached consensus through discussion.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A salient theme in the students' writings was awareness of their personal and professional development. Students reported being aware that they were becoming desensitized to the human dimension of care, and particularly to dying patients and their families. Students wished to learn to contain their emotions to better serve their patients, and they articulated a commitment to addressing patient and family needs. Students identified systemic fragmentation of patient care as a barrier to meeting patient needs and as a facilitator of provider desensitization.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Written student reflections are a rich source of data regarding the spiritual care of dying patients and their families. They provide insight into the personal and professional development of medical students and suggest that medical schools should support students' formation.
authors.affiliation: Dr. Kuczewski is director, Neiswanger Institute for Bioethics, Fr. Michael I. English Professor of Medical Ethics, and chair, Department of Medical Education, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, Illinois. Mr. McCarthy is assistant director for clinical and theological ethics, Neiswanger Institute for Bioethics, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, Illinois. Dr. Michelfelder is vice chair, Department of Family Medicine, and professor of family medicine, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, Illinois. Dr. Anderson is assistant professor of medical ethics, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, Illinois. Dr. Wasson is assistant professor of medical ethics, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, Illinois. Dr. Hatchett is assistant professor of medical ethics, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, Illinois.
authors.forename: Mark G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Kuczewski
authors.forename: Michael P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: McCarthy
authors.forename: Aaron
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Michelfelder
authors.forename: Emily E
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.forename: Katherine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wasson
authors.forename: Lena
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hatchett
mesh_terms: D002641:Chicago; D002983:Clinical Competence; D004504:Education, Medical, Undergraduate / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D026443:Spiritual Therapies / Q000193:education*; D029181:Spirituality; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000523:psychology*; D013727:Terminal Care; D014956:Writing