Creative Solution for Implementation of Experiential, Competency-Based Palliative Care Training for Internal Medicine Residents

Abstract

To graduate internal medicine residents with basic competency in palliative care, we employ a two-pronged strategy targeted at both residents and attending physicians as learners. The first prong provides a knowledge foundation using web-based learning programs designed specifically for residents and clinical faculty members. The second prong is assessment of resident competency in key palliative care domains by faculty members using direct observation during clinical rotations. The faculty training program contains Competency Assessment Tools addressing 19 topics distributed amongst four broad palliative care domains designed to assist faculty members in making the clinical competency assessments. Residents are required to complete their web-based training by the end of their internship year; they must demonstrate competency in one skill from each of the four broad palliative care domains prior to graduation. Resident and faculty evaluation of the training programs is favorable. Outcome-based measures are planned to evaluate long-term program effectiveness.

Confidence in palliative care issues by medical students and internal medicine residents

“…This also happens in the USA, as most medical schools still do not include PC training as a requirement for graduation 13. Unfortunately, implementing such training has a number of constraints.…”

Development of Hospice and Palliative Medicine Knowledge and Skills for Emergency Medicine Residents: Using the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education Milestone Framework

“…It was critical that the process involve a de novo creation of relevant content topics by literature review and consensus from educational leaders in the field of EM and HPM, as there is no standardized HPM curriculum for EM. In addition to literature review, the committee reviewed core EM textbooks through 2014, emergency medicine and palliative care clinical practice guidelines, palliative care perspectives within adjoining disciplines (pediatrics, internal medicine, family medicine), geriatrics and EM, as well as expert advisory panel discussion. Twenty‐three content topics under three domains were agreed upon and were used extensively in the subsequent development of the HPM‐EM milestones .…”