Restricted accessBrief reportFirst published online 2011-11
End-of-Life Decisions: A Comparative Survey on (Teaching) Experiences,Views,and Ethico-Legal Knowledge of Final-Year Medical Students in Germany and France
Research on the teaching experiences and knowledge of medical students on end-of-life decisions in medicine is important because it provides information on the competency of future doctors with respect to an important field of clinical practice and can support the development of a curriculum.
Method:
A multiple-choice and free-text survey on the teaching experiences and knowledge of final-year medical students at the universities of Bochum (Germany; n=212) and Tours (France; n=108) regarding end-of-life decisions in medicine was conducted during the last months of their studies.
Results:
Our results indicate that even though students had training in ethico-legal aspects of end-of-life care and participated in clinical practice there is considerable lack of knowledge among students with respect to the ethico-legal framework for the limitation of treatment at the end of life.
Conclusion:
The study indicates that even with the recent changes in both medical schools there seems to be a further need to prepare students better for end-of-life issues.
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