Introduction

The aging of the world’s population brings with it the increase in chronic diseases, although without a concomitant improvement in quality of life or management of the diseases. In this context, palliative care constitutes an interdisciplinary care model aiming at the integral care of the human being. In contrast, the incessant search for a cure can result in a sense of denial and defeat when facing death. Approaching this subject is necessary during medical school, so that future professionals feel adequately prepared and secure, thus providing the best care for their patients.

Purpose

To evaluate the knowledge on palliative care of undergraduate medical students of Universidade do Sul de Santa Catarina (UNISUL), campus Tubarão.

Method

A cross-sectional study was carried out through the application of an anonymous, self-administered questionnaire containing 39 questions, divided into 12 sociodemographic questions and 27 objective questions about palliative care. Data collection was carried out from March to June 2018. The Chi-square test (X2), Fisher`s exact test, Likelihood ratio, Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and Tukey’s tests were used. The significance level was set at 5%.

Results

A total of 188 medical students, of which 56.9% were females, at the prevalent age range between 21 and 25 years old participated in the study. In the case of an oncological patient, 3.2% (6) of the interviewees would prefer that treatment decisions be made only by the physician, of which 83.3% (5) were males (p = 0.04); 49.5% (93) of the interviewees declared themselves prepared to face the process of death and grief, of which 54.8% (51) were males (p = 0.005); 80.3% (151) of the students denied having acquired skills to communicate bad news, of which 62.9% (95) were females (p <0.001). The students at the 10th semester of the Medical course showed a better average of right answers to questions about the pharmacology of pain management. Most students considered important the incorporation of palliative care content in the curriculum, but 68.1% of them had no interest in working in this area.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the teaching of the palliative care subject during UNISUL’s medical course resulted in an adequate knowledge of internship students; however, there is some difficulty when facing the process of death and insecurity when approaching the communication and medical attitude. It is necessary to improve the teaching of capabilities and skills in the area, emphasizing universal care focused on the patient and not only on curing diseases, as well as mobilizing efforts to encourage the students’ self-esteem.

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