Number
224
Name
Before the Bedside: Equipping Pre-Clerkship Students to Cope with Patient Death
Date & Time
Sunday, June 7, 2026, 5:30 PM - 7:00 PM
Location Name
Oglethorpe Ballroom
Speakers
Authors
Nikul Parikh, Medical College of Georgia
Tanner Marvets, Medical College of Georgia
Alexander Graf, Medical College of Georgia
Ashley Oh, Medical College of Georgia
Garrett Jones, Medical College of Georgia
Dr. Amy Singleton, Medical College of Georgia
Dr. Louise Thai, Medical College of Georgia
Dr. Nicole Winston, Medical College of Georgia
Dr. Shilpa Brown, Medical College of Georgia
Dr. Wanda Jirau-Rosaly, Medical College of Georgia
Dr. Henry Moon, Medical College of Georgia
Dr. Cassandra Groth, Medical College of Georgia
Presentation Topic(s)
Curriculum
Description
PURPOSE:
Per literature and personal experiences, medical students encounter patient
death during clerkships without adequate preparation, leading to emotional
distress and uncertainty in navigating end-of-life discussions. It has been
shown that fewer than 20% of students receive formal end-of-life education,
while 40% feel unprepared to address patients dying, and nearly 50% lack
preparation to cope with their own emotional responses. This study aims to
evaluate the impact of implementing an innovative component at the Medical
College of Georgia that prepares pre-clerkship students for patient death
through semi-structured small group sessions addressing delivering bad news,
end-of-life care, and coping strategies.
METHODS:
The session was implemented for the Class of 2028 (n = 204). An anonymous,
voluntary post-session survey was completed by 22 students (10.8% response
rate), comprising five Likert-scale items (1=Strongly Disagree to 5=Strongly
Agree), and one open-ended question. Quantitative data were analyzed using a
one-sample Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Open-ended responses were reviewed to
contextualize quantitative findings.
RESULTS:
The survey demonstrated excellent internal consistency (alpha = 0.93).
Students reported strong agreement that the session supported professional
identity formation (Composite M=4.17, SD=1.04) with 82.9% rating the impact
positively (>4). The highest-rated item was the session's ability to
facilitate reflection on values as a future physician (M=4.32). Ratings were
significantly higher than the neutral midpoint (p 1.12). Qualitative feedback
indicated students valued the "safe space" and faculty
transparency, though some requested content warnings and a stronger emphasis
on personal self-care strategies.
CONCLUSION:
This curriculum has significantly improved students’ perceived readiness to
navigate end-of-life encounters and had practical impacts on early
professional identity formation. However, student feedback regarding
psychological safety highlights a need to incorporate changes in future
iterations. Longitudinal follow-up is planned to assess the retention of
these coping strategies during clinical clerkships.
Per literature and personal experiences, medical students encounter patient
death during clerkships without adequate preparation, leading to emotional
distress and uncertainty in navigating end-of-life discussions. It has been
shown that fewer than 20% of students receive formal end-of-life education,
while 40% feel unprepared to address patients dying, and nearly 50% lack
preparation to cope with their own emotional responses. This study aims to
evaluate the impact of implementing an innovative component at the Medical
College of Georgia that prepares pre-clerkship students for patient death
through semi-structured small group sessions addressing delivering bad news,
end-of-life care, and coping strategies.
METHODS:
The session was implemented for the Class of 2028 (n = 204). An anonymous,
voluntary post-session survey was completed by 22 students (10.8% response
rate), comprising five Likert-scale items (1=Strongly Disagree to 5=Strongly
Agree), and one open-ended question. Quantitative data were analyzed using a
one-sample Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Open-ended responses were reviewed to
contextualize quantitative findings.
RESULTS:
The survey demonstrated excellent internal consistency (alpha = 0.93).
Students reported strong agreement that the session supported professional
identity formation (Composite M=4.17, SD=1.04) with 82.9% rating the impact
positively (>4). The highest-rated item was the session's ability to
facilitate reflection on values as a future physician (M=4.32). Ratings were
significantly higher than the neutral midpoint (p 1.12). Qualitative feedback
indicated students valued the "safe space" and faculty
transparency, though some requested content warnings and a stronger emphasis
on personal self-care strategies.
CONCLUSION:
This curriculum has significantly improved students’ perceived readiness to
navigate end-of-life encounters and had practical impacts on early
professional identity formation. However, student feedback regarding
psychological safety highlights a need to incorporate changes in future
iterations. Longitudinal follow-up is planned to assess the retention of
these coping strategies during clinical clerkships.
Presentation Tag(s)
Student Presentation