Palliative Care

This elective is designed to give students with an interest in palliative care increased exposure to the role of the palliative care provider in the inpatient setting. Students will participate as members of the palliative care team during which time they will staff palliative care consults, attend family meetings, and learn more about the role of the palliative care provider in the care of patients in the inpatient setting. Students will also spend time involved in self-directed teaching sessions, using a curriculum developed by the National Cancer Institute. Modules include topics such as how to perform a comprehensive palliative care assessment, cancer pain management, loss/grief/bereavement, survivorship, the last hours of living, communicating effectively, clarifying diagnosis and prognosis, negotiating goals of care, clinical trials, withdrawing nutrition/hydration, conflict resolution, advance care planning, physician-assisted suicide, cancer doctors and burnout. Students will complete all modules by the conclusion of the two or four week elective. Additionally students will be asked to conduct a literature search on topics relevant to palliative care and will be asked to present one topic weekly to the faculty.