Addressing the competency of breaking bad news: What are Canadian general paediatric residency programs currently doing

Objective: To describe how breaking bad news (BBN) is currently taught in Canadian general paediatric residency programs and the confidence level of fourth year paediatric residents (Ped-PGY4) in BBN and managing end-of-life-care (EOLC). Methods: A prospective, cross-sectional survey of General Paediatric Residency Program Directors (PDs) and Ped-PGY4s was conducted. Results: When learning to BBN, residents state faculty observation (22/23) and interactive workshops (14/23) are the most helpful, while PDs state interactive workshops (9/16) and deliberate practice (5/16) are ideal. Residents identified a knowledge gap and discomfort with providing anticipatory guidance, and symptom management, including prescribing opioids. Conclusions: In the era of competency-based medical education, there is an opportunity to create a standardized national curriculum addressing universal competencies related to BBN and EOLC.