Fear of death in medical students

Objective: This study aims to detect, describe and analyse the fear of death of medical students of the University of Lleida from the academic years between 1998-2014, and to know if this fear is related to variables such as gender, age, personal losses, beliefs about death and the influence of the curriculum. Method: The study included 676 medical students, from the academic years between 1998 and 2014, who were given the revised Collett-Lester Fear of Death Scale and a questionnaire on sociodemographic and biographical variables. Result: The analysis of the variables surveyed indicates that medical students present an intermediate level of fear of death and the process of dying. The results vary according to gender, age, personal losses, beliefs about death and the curriculum. Conclusions: With the results obtained, it is proposed that medical schools should include or highlight a more death and suffering orientated approach to enable students to obtain greater knowledge and receive training in accompanying death and death.