PhD defence Lama Sultan

Keywords: Health professions education, Interprofessional shared decision-making, Interprofessional education and collaboration, Palliative care

"Palliative Care Education for Health Professions Students: An Interprofessional Shared Decision-Making Approach"

This PhD thesis explores the feasibility and implementation of palliative care and interprofessional shared decision-making (IP-SDM) education for undergraduate health professions students. Responding to growing global and national needs, particularly within Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 healthcare reforms, the research addresses gaps in structured palliative care and interprofessional education. Guided by Kern’s Curriculum Development Model, the thesis includes a scoping review, qualitative and quantitative studies, and an educational intervention. The scoping review identified considerable variability and a lack of theoretical and evaluative consistency in existing IP-SDM programs. Stakeholder perspectives highlighted strong support for IP-SDM education alongside institutional, cultural, and resource-related barriers. Survey findings showed positive attitudes toward IP-SDM but limited practical application. A structured workshop evaluated through self-assessment and Team Objective Structured Clinical Examinations demonstrated significant improvements in students’ shared decision-making skills. Overall, the thesis highlights the need for structured, practice-based IP-SDM curricula to prepare future healthcare professionals for collaborative, patient-centred care palliative care settings. 

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