PREREQUISITES AND PLACEMENT IN THE CURRICULUM: None.
IT IS STRONGLY ENCOURAGED FOR STUDENTS TO HAVE A CAR AVAILABLE DURING THIS ELECTIVE.
PURPOSE: To expose medical students to multiple settings where end-of-life care is currently provided by attending physicians and hospice care providers. To allow students to observe and confront the clinical obstacles present in providing quality palliative care for patients with life-limiting diagnoses. In addition, to allow students to reflect on these obstacles and to better understand why they have come to be present and what methods might be proposed to reduce the obstacles. To provide an in-depth didactic introduction to specific topics in end-of-life care.
COMPETENCIES: Students will participate in a variety of end-of-life setting, participate in patient care rounds, specifically in these settings, with emphasis on understanding the multiple obstacles facing patients with life-limiting illness, regarding ethical considerations, palliation of symptoms, family dynamics, and the active dying process. Student will interact with patients, be involved in assessments in various settings, participate in interdisciplinary team conferences, and be encouraged to develop a continuing relationship with at least one patient/family in hospice over the course of the month elective.
INSTRUCTIONAL FEATURES: Didactic teaching conferences on relevant topics, and weekly journal club with review of important and/or recently relevant topics in hospice and palliative care. One afternoon a week will be available for research and/or reading time. Friday afternoons will be devoted to open discussion of week experiences with facilitators. Observation and participation by students in hospice settings will complete the week experiences.
ASSESSMENT: Evaluation process will be based on attendance and participation in the elective’s activities and a case study to be presented at the end of the month. Where possible students will be encouraged to apply informed resources and/or data from social sciences, the arts, and humanities, to the case report.
ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION:
Program Number: ELEC 971
Location: UI Health/MHMC
Program Director: Diane Rapaport, MD
Telephone: (Cell phone) 847-814-8484 or (Office) 630-495-8484
E-mail: diane.rapaport@vitas.com
Duration: 4 Weeks
Night Call: No
Weekends: No
Students Accepted: Min. 1 Max. 2
Housestaff Used as Faculty: No
Lectures/Conferences/Faculty Contact: 8
Laboratory/Independent Study: 0
Outpatient: 20
Inpatient: 18
Total Hours /Week: 36
KEY WORDS: Hospice Care, Palliative Care, Palliative Medicine
Updated: 10/12/15