Career Trajectories After Palliative Care Training: A National E-Survey of Medical Interns in France

Background

Palliative care has become a crucial component of healthcare, with an increasing need for specialized training. In France, a new one-year palliative care diploma was introduced in 2019 to disseminate palliative care knowledge across various medical specialties. Offered in the final year of medical residency, the program includes 2 six-month internships in palliative care settings and four national seminars covering topics such as symptom management, ethics, and communication. However, the impact of this training on physicians' career paths remains underexplored.

Aim

This study aimed to assess the current practices of physicians trained in palliative care, and how the training influenced their career choices.

Methods

A national e-survey was conducted, aimed at all physicians who completed the palliative care training course between 2019 and 2023. Data were collected through a 36-question survey covering training completion and current practices.

Results

We contacted 179 physicians. After excluding 40 responses from those who had not completed their diploma, the eligible sample consisted of 139 respondents. Of these, 81 complete responses were obtained, yielding a 58% response rate (81/139). Of these, 52 were currently practicing in specialized palliative care settings. Interestingly, 88.5% of those not practicing directly in palliative care still integrated a palliative dimension into their daily work. The proportion of physicians intending to work exclusively in palliative care tripled after the training course compared to before.

Conclusion

This study highlights the significant role of the palliative care training in shaping physicians' career paths and disseminating palliative care practices across medical specialties.