The palliative medicine extended standardized patient scenario: a preliminary report.

An extended standardized patient scenario (ESPS) is described that utilizes standardized patients (SPs) in palliative care education of medical students and residents. The goals of the ESPS will be to: (1) improve physician communications skills in regard to breaking bad news and end-of-life care; (2) integrate evidence-based medicine into patient recommendations; and (3) enhance clinical skills in the practice of palliative medicine, particularly the evaluation and management of total suffering. The main features of the ESPS include a single SP scenario that is presented over several sessions, portraying an extended period in the patient's life. The ESPS requires little in the way of equipment, but is labor intensive. The ESPS is a promising modality that deserves further scrutiny and outcomes research.