Preparing Medical Students for Patient Death: A Pilot Curriculum at Texas A&M College of Medicine

Patient death is one of the most emotionally challenging experiences for healthcare professionals. Introducing structured education early in training may promote resilience and support more compassionate, patient-centered care. At Texas A&M Naresh K. Vashisht College of Medicine, preparation for patient death was historically addressed through the “hidden curriculum,” defined as informal, unspoken learning that occurs outside the formal educational structure. Recently, students led an initiative to develop a formal educational session— Preparing Students for Patient Death —combining asynchronous and live components for second-year students prior to clerkships. In Spring 2024, the session was piloted as part of the Practice of Medicine 3.5 course for approximately 60 students on the Dallas and Round Rock campuses. The session included a physician-led video and a live interdisciplinary panel, with Dallas students completing pre- and post-session surveys. Of the 40 Dallas attendees, 29 completed the pre-survey and 14 completed the post-survey. Findings showed increased preparedness (2.4 to 3.4), high clinical relevance (100% agreement), and strong endorsement (100% would recommend), addressing a key gap in medical education. These results suggest that early, interprofessional education on patient death and dying addresses a critical gap in undergraduate medical education that may support both student well-being and future patient care.