Winging it: a qualitative study of knowledge-acquisition experiences for early adopting providers of medical assistance in dying

BACKGROUND: Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID) was legalized in Canada without a designated period for implementation. Providers did not have access to customary alternatives for training and mentorship during the first 1–3 years after legalization. OBJECTIVE: To report on how doctors prepared for their first provision of MAID in the early period after legalization in Canada. DESIGN: Qualitative research design within an interpretive phenomenological theoretical framework. We asked participants to describe their experiences preparing for first MAID provision. Analysis of transcripts elicited themes regarding training and information desired by early adopters for provision of newly legalized MAID. PARTICIPANTS: Twenty-one early adopting physician-providers in five Canadian provinces were interviewed. RESULTS: Few formal training opportunities were available. Many early-adopting providers learned about the procedure from novel sources using innovative methods. They employed a variety of strategies to meet their needs, including self-training and organizing provider education groups. They acknowledged and reflected on uncertainty and knowledge gained from unexpected experiences and missteps. Key phrases from participants indicated a desire for early training and mentorship. LIMITATIONS: This study included only the perspective of physicians who were providers of MAID. It does not address the training needs for all health practitioners who receive requests for assisted death nor report the patient/family experience. CONCLUSION: The Canadian experience demonstrates the importance of establishing accessible guidance and training opportunities for providers at the outset of implementation of newly legalized assisted dying.