What Do Medical Students Think of Telling the Truth From Interviews With Patients? / 医学教育

ABSTRACT

For medical students, death education is essential. As a part of death education in medical courses, a lecture was given about telling the truth to patients with cancer. Patients with recurrent cancer took part in this lecture and talked about their operations, informed consent, and telling the truth. From the questions of medical students to both patients and teachers (surgeons), student's opinions about telling the truth were examined. Medical students approve of telling the truth to patients with cancer and support the rights of patients to know the truth about their disease. If they have cancer, they want to be told the truth. However, they are wary of telling the truth to all patients. They think that the truth should not be told without understanding the patient's personality. Students recognized that they are not sensitive enough and want to learn sensitivity by telling the truth.