Summary:

Mortality statistics are the main source of information about the population's health, but their use fulness depends on correctly fulfilling each death certificate. For this reason, physicians and medical student should be taught to appropriately complete death certificates. During a class of 50 minutes durantion, fourth year medical students were taught how to fill out death certificates using clinical case histories and actual certificates. All the students felt that the class was instructive, and the majority, 92%, said the presentation of the material was enjoyable. Based on these results, it was concluded that this teaching method can be recommended, although no one can guarantee its impact on future adequate completion of death certificates.