This document summarizes a study on the impact of a clinical placement at Hospice Africa Uganda on medical students' knowledge and attitudes towards palliative care. The study found that after attending lectures on palliative care and spending 4 days visiting patients at Hospice Africa Uganda, most students had a good understanding of palliative care concepts. Specifically, over half supported early palliative care and were willing to work in palliative care settings, and the majority understood that morphine can be used safely for pain control and is not addictive. Student comments also indicated the placement changed their approach to patients and appreciation of end-of-life care. The conclusion was that incorporating clinical placements enhances palliative care education for medical students.

1. Medical students’ knowledge of and
attitude towards palliative care after
placement at Hospice Africa Uganda
Dr Ludoviko Zirimenya, Dr Mwebesa Eddie, Dr
Monday Isaac Baguma and Nabitaka Josephine.
Hospice Africa Uganda

2. Introduction:
• Since Hospice Africa
Uganda’s inception in
1993, medical students at
Makerere University have
undergone clinical
placement.
• To expose them to the
practical aspects of
palliative care and the
realities in the homes of
the suffering sick.

3. Background
• HAU together with
Makerere University
and Ministry of Health
incorporated palliative
care in the
undergraduate
curriculum

4. Gap the project is addressing:
• to ensure that graduate
doctors have palliative
care knowledge and
skills.

5. Description of the project:
• Attend lectures at the
Makerere palliative care
unit
• Medical students spend
4 days at HAU
• Engaging in home visits,
out patient
consultations,
outreaches and case
conferences
• Survey filled on day 4
among 59 medical
students in 2012

6. Results:
54
35
12
8
59
4
11
42
45
0
1
13
5
6
0
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70
supported early palliative care
willingness to work in a palliative
care setting
It is what is done when nothing
more can be done
morphine used for pain control is
not addictive
focus of palliative care is to improve
QOL
not sure
no
yes

7. Views of Medical students…
• “It has taught me a lot about palliative care,
also learnt a lot about pain management in
palliative care”
• “It has been a great experience as it has
changed and modified my approach to
patients as a whole none so terminally ill
patients”

8. ...Views of Medical student
• “Ready to teach, I have appreciated the need
of palliative care in Uganda, been touched by
the lives of patients visited”
• “Has opened up my insight into terminal
illness and has enabled me to appreciate end
of life in terminally ill patients”

9. Conclusion
• Medical students were
Knowledgeable at end
of placement
• Despite fears of
morphine addiction in
76% of students, good
attitude was noted at
end of placement

10. Recommendations
• Incorporation of clinical placement in training
enhances knowledge and improves attitudes
of the medical students
• Morphine addiction fears among prescribers
should be continuously addressed as they
practice

11. Thank you
Acknowledgements:
• Hospice Africa Uganda Team
• Medical students