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Teaching medical students how to break bad news: A Turkish experience

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Abstract

Background. To assess the effect of teaching breaking bad news. Methods. The session incorporated brainstorming, presentation, discussion, small-group exercises using standardized patients. Course was evaluated through a pre-objective structured clinical examination (OSCE), first post-OSCE (post-OSCE1), second post-OSCE (post-OSCE2) (6th month), and questionnaires. Results. Pre-OSCE, post-OSCE1, post-OSCE2 scores: preparing the environment 5.83 ±0.23, 7.93 ± 0.19, 9.78 ± 0.07; understanding what patient knows and wants to learn 1.83 ± 0.33, 6.47 ± 0.27, 9.68 ± 0.11; giving information 3.25 ± 0.34, 7.43 ± 0.19, 9.67 ± 0.10; developing empathy 2.50 ± 0.32, 6.92 ± 0.28, 9.87 ± 0.06; closing the interview 2.28 ± 0.28, 6.98 ± 0.25, 9.83 ±0.07. The differences between OSCEs were significant. In the questionnaire, 54.1% of 146 students perceived more competent. Conclusions. Course seems beneficial.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Family Medicine, Ondokuzmayis University School of Medicine, 55139, Samsun, Turkey

    Mustafa Fevzi Dikici MD, Fusun Yaris MD, PhD & Mahcube Cubukcu MD

Authors
  1. Mustafa Fevzi Dikici MD
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  2. Fusun Yaris MD, PhD
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  3. Mahcube Cubukcu MD
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Fusun Yaris MD, PhD.

Additional information

Standardized patients were funded by Ondokuzmayis University Research Fund, project number of 2005-T449.

Preliminary results were presented in the WONCA Europe 2007 Conference, October 17–20, Paris.

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Dikici, M.F., Yaris, F. & Cubukcu, M. Teaching medical students how to break bad news: A Turkish experience. J Canc Educ 24, 246–248 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1080/08858190902972814

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