The effectiveness of role play in large classes for terminal-care education was through written comments of students. We analyzed written comments after the role-play scenario “Anger Toward the Nursing Attendant” in which an irritated and anxious patient who cannot accept the terminal stage of cancer shows anger toward a nurse. Eighty-three percent of students noted the importance of mental care for terminally ill patients; 80% noted the difficulty of giving such care; 70% noted the importance of acceptance, empathy, and support of terminally ill patients; and 22% of students referred to the method of mental care.

Characteristics of clinical training of Tsukuba University School of Medicine are pre-BSL, essential and elective training, out of university clinical training, new medical science course, electives, and overseas clinical training. The main problems of this clinical training are some students have insufficient motivation or basic knowlegde for learning, and some tutors have insufficient passion or skill for teaching. These problems might be common with the problems of core curriculum of clinical training.

For the pupose of terminal care education, I am conducting a trial experiment on free discussion in a small group, about six members, of students of a nursing school. After self-introduction, debate is held on two themes, “terminal care of my beloved companion” and “terminal care of mself.” As judged from the results of a questionnaire and the record of debate, the students' attitude toward the question “Am I going to die soon?” asked by a terminally ill patient, changes during the discussion from encouraging, denying, or avoiding to listening to the patient. This style of exercise may be able to be used for terminal care education for medical students, medical and paramedical staff and death educaton for the general public.