Health care has evolved into a holistic approach that considers not only the biological aspects of individuals but also their psychological, social, and spiritual dimensions. In this context, palliative care education plays a critical role in preparing future health professionals to address complex and sensitive issues related to the end of life. This study aims to review the scientific literature on the use of gamification as a teaching method in palliative care education within health schools. It also seeks to identify the gamified strategies employed and assess the impact of this method on students’ learning outcomes. A scoping review was conducted following the methodology proposed by the Joanna Briggs Institute, designed to map key concepts, identify research gaps, and analyze the extent and nature of existing evidence. Searches were performed in four databases, PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and ERIC, using combinations of controlled descriptors and keywords related to gamification and palliative care education. Studies were selected based on inclusion and exclusion criteria that considered peer-reviewed articles published in English, Spanish, and Portuguese, focusing on undergraduate or graduate health education that utilized gamification tools to address palliative care content. After screening and full-text review, four studies were included for analysis. The studies originated from different countries and academic settings, describing the implementation of gamified learning tools, including serious games, board games, simulations with point systems, and interactive digital platforms. Results showed that gamification actively engages students by promoting experiential learning and emotional involvement, which contrasts with the more passive and traditional teaching methods. The included studies reported improvements in students’ knowledge of palliative care, as well as enhanced empathy, communication skills, and positive changes in attitudes toward death and dying. In addition, gamification contributed to increased motivation and participation, as well as better retention of content. Despite the promising results, the review revealed that the application of gamification in palliative care education remains in its infancy. The limited number of studies, the heterogeneity of designs and assessment tools, and the absence of long-term outcome evaluations underscore the need for further empirical research. Future studies should explore the effectiveness of different gamification models and their integration into formal curricula. In conclusion, gamification emerges as a promising and innovative strategy for palliative care education, with the potential to enhance cognitive and affective learning. Its use may contribute to the training of more competent and compassionate professionals, capable of providing holistic and humanized care at the end of life.

Keywords: Gamification, palliative care, patient preferences, advance directives, advance care planning, education.