Palliative care teaching in the new internal medicine curriculum: Project ECHO–an innovative approach to postgraduate education

Background The Internal Medicine Training (IMT) Programme is an evolution of Core Medical Training introduced in 2019. The IMT curriculum places an increased emphasis on palliative care; however, access to palliative care training is variable. Project ECHO (Extension of Community Healthcare Outcomes) develops communities of practice and is a valuable tool for medical education. We report on an evaluation of Project ECHO to deliver palliative medicine training across a geographically large deanery in the North of England.

Methods The Project ECHO training programme involved multipoint video technology, telementoring, expert talks and case-based discussions over six sessions, and was fully mapped to the palliative care component of the IMT curriculum. We collected data particularly around attendance and self-reported confidence and knowledge.

Results By creating a community of practice, we provided virtual placements and over 9 hours of virtual direct contact with palliative medicine consultants; and in total, 921 individual attendances occurred, with 62% attending all six sessions. The course was associated with an increase in self-reported confidence and high satisfaction.

Discussion Project ECHO is an effective method of delivering teaching to trainees across a large geographical area. Course evaluation shows outstanding results in trainee satisfaction, confidence, knowledge, patient care, clinical skills and reduction in fear when managing death and dying.