Knowledge of palliative care among medical interns in Chilean universities: A necessary diagnosis
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.52611/confluencia.2026.1822Keywords:
Integrative Palliative Care, Medical Education, Internship, Residency, ChileAbstract
Introduction: Palliative care is essential in current medical education. Objective: To determine the knowledge of medical interns in Chilean universities regarding palliative care. Methodology: A convergent parallel, descriptive, cross-sectional, and multicenter design was used. A validated questionnaire was administered to assess conceptual, clinical, and legal dimensions. The study was approved by an ethics committee and the participants signed informed consent. Result: Responses from 346 interns were analyzed. Eighty-seven percent consider palliative care to be essential in medical care. There are gaps in specific knowledge: a significant percentage associates palliative care with end-of-life care, or there are doubts regarding the use of morphine and addiction (11%). 93% agree that palliative care should not be delayed. Discussion: Although there is a positive attitude and adequate general conceptual knowledge. There are myths and gaps in technical knowledge that suggest the need to strengthen palliative care competencies. Conclusion: Medical interns in Chile demonstrate a positive attitude and a solid conceptual foundation in palliative care. There is a need to strengthen both curricular and continuing education to ensure timely, comprehensive care that complies with current legislation.
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