ABSTRACT

Background: Advance care planning (ACP) is an essential skill for clinicians, yet trainees feel inadequately prepared to conduct ACP discussions. Optimal teaching methods and timing are unknown.

Aim: We designed a curricular intervention to expose second-year medical students to the process of ACP, aiming to improve their ACP knowledge and confidence.

Design: The intervention consisted of a case-based workshop facilitated by a physician experienced in ACP (“facilitated ACP workshop”), which was added to an existing multifaceted ACP curriculum (longitudinal senior mentor program including multiple visits with a volunteer older adult, completion of an electronic ACP learning module and reflective writing exercise). The control group received the existing ACP curriculum only, while the intervention group received the existing curriculum plus the facilitated ACP workshop. Both groups completed an ACP knowledge assessment and confidence survey at the conclusion of the curriculum.

Setting/Participants: Two consecutive classes of second year medical students, single academic hospital.

Results: No statistically significant differences in ACP knowledge or confidence were seen post-intervention. Overall confidence with ACP tasks remained relatively low despite a multifaceted ACP curriculum.

Conclusions: Future studies should investigate longitudinal, experiential ACP learning, and seek to optimize ACP teaching strategies and timing.