Abstract
This study examined social work and medical students’ perspectives on beliefs and attitudes on Advance Care Planning (ACP) by writing a self-reflection describing the ACP experience. The study sample for this research included eleven third-year Master’s of Social Work students at California State University, Sacramento, and seven medical students from UC Davis, Sacramento School of Medicine (SOM). The study findings indicate that cultural values related to the ACP process was important for Advance Directives execution. The significant findings indicate that fear of death was a barrier to ACP particularly in the social work students, and only half of medical students identified fear of death as a factor in ACP. Concurrent with the literature review, cultural values and the attitudes and beliefs seem to impact the presence around ACP. The key recommendations of the researcher is to implement an elective course in palliative care in the Master’s program in social work to strengthen the social work professionals’ competencies around preparing their clients toward an effective ACP process, and for medical professionals to make timely referrals.