Background: Goals of care discussions are essential communication skills in medical training that bridge patient values with clinical decision-making. Integrating palliative care principles into these conversations enables holistic, patient-centered care, yet medical trainees often lack structured preparation for these critical interactions. Objective: This narrative review examines how medical training can effectively integrate palliative care approaches into goals of care discussions through structured communication frameworks, interdisciplinary collaboration, and emerging innovations to promote patient-centered outcomes. Methods: This narrative review is conducted using a structured literature search that includes relevant studies pertaining to goals of care (GOC) discussions, evidence-based communication frameworks, and communication training curricula. Databases used were PubMed and Google Scholar, using articles published between 2000 and 2025. The following keywords were used in our search: “SPIKES”, “REMAP”, “SUPER”, “serious illness conversation”, “goals of care,” “end of life,” “holistic care,” “palliative care,” and “medical education.” Exclusion criteria were used to select those relevant to inpatient care and training in inpatient settings. Studies in an outpatient setting were excluded. Findings were reviewed and synthesized to identify types of training approaches. An emphasis on clinical outcomes including patient satisfaction, hospice utilization, ICU transfers, and intervention intensity were examined. Educational barriers and facilitators—including communication training curricula, cultural competency, language considerations, and multidisciplinary team involvement—were evaluated. Emerging technologies supporting clinician education and practice were also assessed. Results: Training in structured communication frameworks improves patient–physician relationships, reduces patient anxiety, and increases family satisfaction. Early palliative care integration through effective discussions leads to increased hospice awareness and utilization while reducing burdensome interventions. Key educational facilitators include dedicated communication skills training, multidisciplinary team participation (including chaplains and palliative care specialists), and AI-assisted documentation tools that support learning while preserving humanistic clinician–patient interactions. Conclusions: Integrating palliative care principles into medical training for goals of care discussions is essential for developing patient-centered clinicians. Combining structured communication frameworks, interprofessional education, targeted skills training, and technological support creates a comprehensive educational approach that prepares trainees to elicit patient goals, create individualized care plans, and deliver holistic care that honors patient values.
Rochon et al. (Fri,) studied this question.