As part of the three-day conference on cancer care, students were shown a virtual situation to deal with a patient who is undergoing treatment and has slim chances of survival.

The whole workshop conducted in various parts, focused on the various aspects of a patient's treatment amid his impending fears and questions. Not only entertaining, the workshop presented before the students the difficult situations from diagnosis of the disease to the treatment.

Based on different modules along with a trained actor from Australia, the workshop was divided into different sessions starting from breaking the news of the disease to cancer relapse and transition to palliative care, highlighting different emotions of anger, sadness, anxiety and depression.

"It is one of its kinds and this is for the first time a workshop like this has been held in the country," said Dr Rohit Joshi, medical oncologist from CMCH who organised the three day conference which concluded with the last part of the communication workshop.

"For example, the doctor may have to deal with the questions from patient's parents or relatives.

Sometimes there may be situations where the parents or relatives may want to hide the disease from the patient so that he does not feel disheartened. So it is important to know how to best deal with such situations," he explained.

The workshop was moderated by Assistant Professor Sid Selva from Royal Adelaide Hospital and University of