Cardiology (4)

Emergency medicine (4)

Family and primary care medicine (5)

Geriatric medicine (5)

Infectious disease and AIDS (3)

Internal medicine (6)

Neurology (3)

Oncology and hematology (6)

Pediatrics (4)

Psychiatric medicine (3)

Pulmonary medicine (4)

Surgery (3)

Epidemiology (vital statistics)

Natural history (prognosis, time course, mode of death, symptoms)

Pain management

Nonpain symptom management (dyspnea, nausea and vomiting, delirium, fatigue, etc.)

Psychological issues (depression, anxiety, fear, loneliness, grief)

Social and demographic issues (interpersonal relationships with spouses or partners, family, and friends; race; cultural and economic issues)

Spiritual issues (abandonment, completion of tasks, acceptance, religious tasks, choices)

Family issues (communication of patient and family member wishes, grief and bereavement, informal caregiver role and support, education, economic issues) Definition of end-of-life care (definition of death and goals of care)

Ethics Law Policies (individual vs. organization ethics, patients’ self-determination, double effect, withdrawal and withholding of life support)

Physician after-death responsibilities (pronouncement, autopsy, organ donation)

Physician roles (communication with patient and family, personal grief and bereavement)

Context of care (advance directives, options for end-of-life care, referral to hospice, funeral arrangements)

0: Absent

1: Minimal

2: Helpful