title: The impact of a medical undergraduate student-selected module in palliative care.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The need for undergraduate medical education in palliative care is widely recognised. An optional student-selected module 'Fundamentals of Palliative Medicine' was introduced in 2011 and offered to third-year medical students. The overall objective of the module was to develop students' knowledge, attitudes and skills in palliative care.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess impact of the module in terms of qualitative and quantitative measures, and to improve the module design and content for future years.
  
  
  METHODS
  Students completed validated tools (Self Efficacy in Palliative Care and Thanatophobia Scale (TS)) premodule and postmodule. A Minute Paper was completed at the penultimate session with students identifying areas they had a good understanding of, and issues they still found unclear.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty-four of 155 eligible students chose the module. Significant differences were seen in premodule and postmodule Self Efficacy in Palliative Care scores (communication p<0.0001, patient management p=0.0002 and teamwork p=0.03). No difference was seen in TS score. Five main themes emerged from the qualitative analysis of the Minute Paper: changes to attitudes and knowledge, psychological effects, teaching methods, careers in palliative care, and further palliative care learning needs. Several students commented that the module should be core curriculum.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The module was a popular choice with students, was well received, and appears to have had a significant educational impact in terms of changing students' attitudes and perceived knowledge and skills in palliative care.
authors.affiliation: Marymount University Hospice/St Patricks University Hospital, Cork, Ireland.
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sweeney
authors.forename: Gerardine
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lynch
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Khashan
authors.forename: Bridget
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Maher
authors.forename: Marie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Murphy
authors.forename: Tony
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: O'Brien
mesh_terms: D003479:Curriculum; D004504:Education, Medical, Undergraduate / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000379:methods; D065126:Palliative Medicine / Q000193:education*; D015397:Program Evaluation / Q000379:methods*; D013337:Students, Medical; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Education and training; Special study module; Undergraduate medical