Lessons about Dying and Death from the Classroom of the Bedside

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Medical education about care of the dying is not always conducted systematically at the patient’s bedside. Unfortunately, neither life experience nor lecture style pedagogy is an adequate substitute for teaching medical students and residents about caring for the terminally ill. Obstacles to involving trainees in the bedside care of the dying include a general cultural avoidance of death, discomfort among faculty mentors when dealing with death, and uneven application of established rubrics for conveying the art of bedside care of the dying. Valuable lessons about dying and death can be taught if medical educators will model for trainees the delivery of sensitive, compassionate care of the dying and involve them in active learning by convening the “classroom of the bedside.”