As medical professionals, the ability to navigate end-of-life conversations with empathy, clarity, and cultural sensitivity is important. Recognizing this, Texas A&M School of Engineering Medicine (EnMed) has an innovative educational experience known as the Interprofessional Practice Education, & Research (IPER) Mock Family Simulations. These simulations are designed to immerse students in realistic scenarios involving terminally ill patients and their families and offer invaluable training in communication, empathy development, decision-making, cultural awareness, and professionalism.
Communication lies at the heart of effective patient care, especially in delicate end-of-life discussions. Through the IPER simulations, students learn to convey sensitive information—such as terminal diagnoses and prognoses—with compassion and clarity. Students gain firsthand experience in delivering difficult news while maintaining a supportive and understanding demeanor by engaging with each other as actors who portray family members.
Empathy is an essential part of patient-centered care, yet it is a skill that requires growth. Interacting with simulated family members allows students to appreciate the emotional impact of end-of-life conversations from the perspective of those directly affected. Through active listening and genuine engagement, students learn to provide compassionate support and comfort during times of distress.
“In my own experience, I was heavily involved with the end-of-life care of my grandparents,” shared an M1 student at EnMed who attended the IPER simulation workshop, “I even acted as the primary decision maker for my family because, at the time, I was the person with the most medical knowledge. I felt this immense pressure to get every decision right and save their life.“
The scenarios presented in the simulations can evoke deeply personal reflections for students. This student reflected on a scenario where he played the role of a son struggling to accept a do-not-resuscitate (DNR) order. “I think the scenario where I was playing the son who didn’t want to let the DNR go through brought me back to a situation I didn’t think I was ready for. I thought I had fully healed from my own trauma regarding the loss of my grandparents and was okay with the assignment. However, 10 minutes into the scenario, I realized that I wasn’t actually feeling well and was going back to how I felt losing my grandparents,” he recalled, feeling angry and sad. “Looking back at the scenario, I realized that getting all the necessary medical information wouldn’t have changed the situation. What I needed was someone to tell me that it was okay, that I did not fail, and this was not on me.”
The experience gained from these simulations extends beyond the classroom, influencing students’ future practice in healthcare. “Sometimes the family needs to hear that it’s okay to change the goals of care,” he continued to share, “This experience underlines the value of bringing in a palliative care specialist as soon as possible into the process. And that palliative care isn’t giving up on the patient. It’s choosing to celebrate the life and the time left with the patient.”
In conclusion, the IPER Mock Family Simulations offer medical students a unique and immersive learning experience that prepares them for the complexities of end-of-life care. These simulations empower students to provide compassionate and patient-centered care to individuals and families facing life-limiting illnesses by sharpening their communication skills, nurturing empathy, and promoting cultural sensitivity and professionalism. As medical education continues to evolve, innovative learning opportunities like the IPER Mock Family Simulations will remain essential in shaping skilled healthcare physicianeers of the future.
