Education for palliative care: formal education about death, dying and bereavement in UK medical schools in 1983 and 1994

Abstract

Between 1983 and 1994 the amount and variety of teaching about death, dying and bereavement in UK medical schools has grown considerably. Twenty-seven of the 28 UK medical schools now have some formal teaching in this area, and a number of schools have substantial programmes of teaching. A wider range of topics is now taught, with most schools providing formal teaching about physical therapy, teamwork and ethical issues in terminal/palliative care. A greater range of teachers are involved, presumably providing a wider range of perspectives and expertise. The influence of the hospice movement is particularly noticeable, with the majority of schools using their local hospice as a teaching resource. It seems that the General Medical Council's proposed 'new curriculum' for undergraduate medical education will result in a further expansion of teaching about palliative care in many schools. However, rigorous evaluation of the effectiveness of such teaching is largely absent.