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Abstract
Advanced care planning (ACP) conversations are opportunities for patients to express values and medical decision making before and at the end of life. While current practices emphasize the importance of ACP in those above 65 or with terminal illness in the primary care setting, there is less consensus around the utility of these conversations in young adults without serious illness. Many nationally regarded healthcare institutions including the American Academy of Family Physicians recommend earlier end-of-life conversations. Additionally, the literature suggests that many young adults expressed interest in having conversations around ACP with their providers. However, many ACP conversations do not occur in these younger populations until patients experience a traumatic event or new illness. The purpose of this study is to explore the current practices of ACP with young adult patients who do not have any serious illnesses and provider perspectives on engaging younger patients in conversations around end of life and medical decision making.