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Teaching Advance Care Planning to Medical Students with a Computer-Based Decision Aid

Journal of Cancer Education volume 26, pages 82–91 (2011)Cite this article

Abstract

Discussing end-of-life decisions with cancer patients is a crucial skill for physicians. This article reports findings from a pilot study evaluating the effectiveness of a computer-based decision aid for teaching medical students about advance care planning. Second-year medical students at a single medical school were randomized to use a standard advance directive or a computer-based decision aid to help patients with advance care planning. Students' knowledge, skills, and satisfaction were measured by self-report; their performance was rated by patients. 121/133 (91%) of students participated. The Decision-Aid Group (n = 60) outperformed the Standard Group (n = 61) in terms of students´ knowledge (p < 0.01), confidence in helping patients with advance care planning (p < 0.01), knowledge of what matters to patients (p = 0.05), and satisfaction with their learning experience (p < 0.01). Likewise, patients in the Decision Aid Group were more satisfied with the advance care planning method (p < 0.01) and with several aspects of student performance. Use of a computer-based decision aid may be an effective way to teach medical students how to discuss advance care planning with cancer patients.

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Acknowledgments

This research was supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Nursing Research (1 R21 NR008539), Penn State University Social Science Research Institute, and Penn State University Woodward Endowment for Medical Science Education.

Author Disclosure Statement

The authors have intellectual property and copyright interests for the decision aid used for this study, and anticipate making the decision aid available through Penn State University as a marketed product (but with no-cost licensure for use with healthcare students).

Presented as a research abstract at the following professional meetings: Society for Medical Decision Making Annual Meeting, Philadelphia, PA., October 19, 2008; American Society of Bioethics and Humanities Annual Meeting, Cleveland, OH, October 23, 2008; and Society of General Internal Medicine Annual Meeting, Pittsburgh, PA, April, 2008.

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Affiliations

  1. Departments of Humanities and Internal Medicine, Penn State College of Medicine, C1743, 500 University Drive, Hershey, PA, 17033, USA

    Michael J. Green

  2. Departments of Humanities and Pediatrics, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, USA

    Benjamin H. Levi

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  1. Michael J. Green
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  2. Benjamin H. Levi
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Correspondence to Michael J. Green.

Appendix 1: Advance care planning knowledge

Appendix 1: Advance care planning knowledge

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Green, M.J., Levi, B.H. Teaching Advance Care Planning to Medical Students with a Computer-Based Decision Aid. J Canc Educ 26, 82–91 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13187-010-0146-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13187-010-0146-2

Keywords

  • Advance directives
  • Advance care planning
  • Medical student education
  • Computer-based instruction