Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42332726›Full record

ArticleBMC medical education2026

Advancing palliative medicine training in adolescent and young adult care: a needs assessment study.

Abdulaziz Bakhsh, Amirrtha Srikanthan, Sarah Cleyn, Stephanie C M Veldhuijzen van Zanten, Perri Tutelman, Anne Marie Krueger-Naug, Henrique Parsons, Julie Lapenskie, Sydney Ruller, Samantha Halman and 2 more

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Article in BMC medical education, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

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Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors.

Abdulaziz BakhshDivision of Palliative Care, Department of Medicine, University of Ottawa, 501 Smyth Rd, Ottawa, ON, K1H 8L6, Canada.
Amirrtha SrikanthanDivision of Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
Sarah CleynThe Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
Stephanie C M Veldhuijzen van ZantenPediatric Palliative Care, Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
Perri TutelmanDepartment of Psychology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.
Anne Marie Krueger-NaugDivision of Palliative Medicine, Department of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada.
Henrique ParsonsDivision of Palliative Care, Department of Medicine, University of Ottawa, 501 Smyth Rd, Ottawa, ON, K1H 8L6, Canada.
Julie LapenskieOttawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
Sydney RullerDepartment of Medicine, The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
Samantha HalmanOttawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
James DownarDivision of Palliative Care, Department of Medicine, University of Ottawa, 501 Smyth Rd, Ottawa, ON, K1H 8L6, Canada.
Mohamed AbdelaalDivision of Palliative Care, Department of Medicine, University of Ottawa, 501 Smyth Rd, Ottawa, ON, K1H 8L6, Canada. mabdelaal@toh.ca.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundAdolescents and young adults (AYAs), defined as individuals aged 15-39 years, face unique medical, psychosocial, and existential challenges when living with life-limiting illness. Despite evidence supporting early palliative care integration, Canadian adult palliative care curricula lack formalized AYA-specific competencies. Healthcare providers consistently report insufficient preparation in this area.

methodsA descriptive cross-sectional needs assessment survey was administered nationally to physicians who completed Canadian adult palliative care residency training between 2019 and 2024. A multidisciplinary steering committee of experts in AYA palliative care and medical education, alongside a patient partner, guided the development of the bilingual 25-item questionnaire guided by an established framework for medical education survey design. The questionnaire assessed clinical exposure, self-rated knowledge across 20 competency areas, comfort levels across 21 competency areas, training needs and barriers, and preferred learning formats. Responses were anonymous. Descriptive statistics were used for analysis.

resultsOf 71 responses received, 55 met eligibility criteria for analysis (response rate 35%, eligibility rate 77%). Only 31% of participants received AYA-specific training during residency. Most participants (82%) reported low comfort when caring for the youngest AYA age group (15-18 years). The greatest knowledge gaps were in pediatric-to-adult care transitions (69%), sexual health and fertility concerns (62%), and social support navigation (39%). Top training priorities were AYA developmental and psychosocial factors (75%), grief and bereavement support (65%), and care transitions (60%). The most common training barriers were limited clinical exposure (78%), lack of mentors (65%), and absence of AYA-specific programs (61%).

conclusionsOur findings revealed substantial gaps in training, knowledge, and comfort levels in providing AYA palliative care among recent graduates from the adult palliative care programs in Canada. This may represent an initial step towards the development of a competency-based AYA-focused residency training curriculum.

Indexed as

Internship and ResidencyNeeds AssessmentPalliative CarePalliative MedicineAdolescentAdultCanadaClinical CompetenceCross-Sectional StudiesCurriculumFemaleHumansMaleSurveys and QuestionnairesYoung AdultAdolescentsMedical educationNeeds assessmentPalliative careYoung adults

Identifiers

PMID42332726
PMCPMC13536818

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.