Document Type : Letter to the Editor
Author
Department of Pediatrics, Clinical Research Development Center of Children’s Hospital, Hormozgan University of Medical Sciences, Bandar Abbas, Iran.
10.22034/meb.2026.603760.1147
Abstract
Breaking bad news in pediatric oncology is a complex clinical and ethical competency involving children, parents, and healthcare professionals. In Iran, parents have emphasized the importance of compassionate communication, privacy, clear information, and psychological and spiritual support. However, communication training is often brief and reliant on informal role modeling. This article proposes a longitudinal, culturally responsive, and competency-based curriculum across undergraduate medical education, pediatric residency, and pediatric hematology-oncology fellowship. Training should include simulation, role-play, standardized patients, direct observation, structured feedback, and reflective practice. Assessment should focus on observed communication performance, empathy, developmentally appropriate language, and family understanding rather than self-reported confidence alone. Adapting such training to Iran’s cultural, linguistic, ethical, and family context could support more compassionate, ethical, and family-centered pediatric oncology care.
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