Teaching small groups in palliative care.

Small group learning (i.e., tutorial, seminar, or small problem-solving class) is uniquely suited to transformative change as the ultimate goal of education, and especially appropriate for use in teaching about palliative care. The small group can be a fertile environment for both individual and communal development on both personal and professional levels by recognizing the unique needs of small group facilitation, and developing necessary faculty skills, and by modeling thoughtful preparation, reflective execution, and perceptive feedback. The small group learning approach focuses on learning facilitation and enhancing students' communications skills, which are vital to providing effective, patient-centered palliative care.