Letter to the editor
1
Letter to the editor Maria Ahmed, Academic Foundation Trainee, South Manchester University Hospitals Trust, UK D ear Editor - I want to com- mend Janet Lefroy and her patient Ken on their inspiring work teaching fifth-year students about cancer from a patient’s perspective (‘Should I ask my patient with cancer to teach students?’). When comparing myself with colleagues at medical school, I always felt privileged to have experienced the journey from cancer diagnosis to eventual death with a close member of my family. I gained invaluable in- sight into the psychosomatic im- pact of cancer, and the coping strategies I developed through the experience undoubtedly helped when encountering termi- nally ill patients in my recent House job. Arguably, the only other exposure to death as an undergraduate would be in the dissection room or during communication training with simulated patients. The power of direct contact with a dying patient in a safe and encouraging environment cannot be over- estimated. Such individuals are profoundly inspiring, and would-be doctors would do much in learning how patients and carers cope with a terminal illness, in appreciating both the limits of modern medicine and that, ultimately, life is ephemeral. Informal discussion with peers confirms the perceived lack of training in death and dying at undergraduate level. I agree that the potential for risk to both patients and students is real, and in rolling out such programmes, developers need to ensure that suitable support structures are in place for the staff, students and patients engaged in such train- ing, to ensure that its potential benefits are realised. Letter to the editor 64 Ó Blackwell Publishing Ltd 2009. THE CLINICAL TEACHER 2009; 6: 64
-
Upload
maria-ahmed -
Category
Documents
-
view
212 -
download
0
Transcript of Letter to the editor
Letter to the editorMaria Ahmed, Academic Foundation Trainee, South Manchester University Hospitals Trust,UK
Dear Editor - I want to com-mend Janet Lefroy and herpatient Ken on their
inspiring work teaching fifth-yearstudents about cancer from apatient’s perspective (‘Should Iask my patient with cancer toteach students?’).
When comparing myself withcolleagues at medical school, Ialways felt privileged to haveexperienced the journey fromcancer diagnosis to eventualdeath with a close member of myfamily. I gained invaluable in-sight into the psychosomatic im-pact of cancer, and the copingstrategies I developed through
the experience undoubtedlyhelped when encountering termi-nally ill patients in my recentHouse job.
Arguably, the only otherexposure to death as anundergraduate would be in thedissection room or duringcommunication training withsimulated patients. The power ofdirect contact with a dyingpatient in a safe and encouragingenvironment cannot be over-estimated. Such individuals areprofoundly inspiring, andwould-be doctors would do muchin learning how patients andcarers cope with a terminal
illness, in appreciating boththe limits of modern medicineand that, ultimately, life isephemeral.
Informal discussion with peersconfirms the perceived lack oftraining in death and dying atundergraduate level. I agree thatthe potential for risk to bothpatients and students is real, andin rolling out such programmes,developers need to ensure thatsuitable support structures are inplace for the staff, students andpatients engaged in such train-ing, to ensure that its potentialbenefits are realised.
Letter tothe editor
64 � Blackwell Publishing Ltd 2009. THE CLINICAL TEACHER 2009; 6: 64
