Resident experience and opinions about physician-assisted death for cancerpatients

Hypothesis: Surgical residents and staff oncologists (surgical, medical, an d radiation therapy) have similar opinions on participation in physician-as sisted death for patients with terminal cancer. Design: Prospective survey. Setting: Tertiary care referral center. Participants: Residents undergoing surgical training (n=56) and faculty onc ologists (n=24) of all specialties (surgical, medical, and radiation therap y). Main Outcome Measures: Subjects were queried regarding previous experience and willingness to participate (either directly or indirectly) in assisted death for terminal cancer patients. Results: Response rates were 39% (22 of 56) for the residents and 87% (21 o f 24) for the oncologists. Of those who responded, 86% (19 of 22) of the re sidents would aid any of the hypothetical patients with assisted death, whe reas only 19% (4 of 21) of the staff oncologists-expressed willingness to p erform the same service. Furthermore, 32% (7 of 22) of the residents report ed previous involvement in a case of assisted death from any disease, where as only 19% (4 of 21) of the staff oncologists reported previous direct exp erience with assisted death in the terminal cancer patient. Conclusions: Surgical residents tend to have more experience with assisted death and are much more willing than staff oncologists to aid terminal canc er patients with this procedure. These opinions and practices are probably nor. the result of medical education but are developed from personal values .