Palliative medicine
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Palliative medicine · Mar 2007
Undergraduate training in palliative medicine in Germany: what effect does a curriculum without compulsory palliative care have on medical students' knowledge, skills and attitudes?
The effect of a curriculum without compulsory courses in palliative medicine on students' knowledge, kills and attitudes towards the care of dying patients and decisions at the end of life was investigated. ⋯ A medical curriculum without compulsory course does increase confidence in some of the core competencies in palliative care, but the overall results at the end of the training are poor. The WHO claims that palliative care has to be "compulsory in courses leading to a basic professional qualification" has still to be fulfilled in Germany. This study can serve as a baseline to evaluate the effect of mandatory courses in palliative care.