Fellowship in Hospice & Palliative Medicine
The Palliative Medicine Fellowship Training Program at the
Teaching sites:
LifePath Hospice and Palliative Care, Inc., the largest non-profit independent hospice in the country. With an average daily census of over 2,500 hospice patients and active palliative care consultation services, the fellow will have an opportunity for contact with diverse patients having varied clinical conditions in a wide array of settings. LifePath Hospice has had a long-standing affiliation with the
H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, designated as a National Cancer Institute (NCI) Comprehensive Cancer Center, is a not-for-profit institution. The fellow will participate in the services of the Psychosocial & Palliative Care Program at Moffitt. The Psychosocial & Palliative Care Program is engaged in clinical care, training and research designed to address the emotional, social, spiritual and physical needs of people affected by cancer. Clinical services are provided by an interdisciplinary team composed of professionals with expertise in clinical social work, hospital chaplaincy, clinical psychology, consultation-liaison psychiatry, pharmacy and neurology.
The James A. Haley VA Medical Center is a 327 bed tertiary care teaching hospital, with 180 authorized nursing home care beds in Tampa. The James A. Haley VA Medical Center has an active inpatient palliative care consult service, an inpatient hospice unit, an active home care program, as well as a large skilled nursing facility. The fellow with participate in all of these services.
Bay Pines VA Hospital. The Bay Pines VA Healthcare System makes health services are available to more than 94,000 veterans living in a ten county area in west central Florida. The Bay Pines VA has an inpatient palliative care consult service as well as an inpatient hospice unit. The fellow will participate in both of these services.
Program Detail:
Fellows in palliative medicine will receive broad, practical experience in hospice and palliative medicine through rotations at LifePath Hospice, including the 24-bed Melech Hospice House or Sun City Center House Inpatient Care Centers (24-bed Inpatient unit and 8-bed residential facility), LifePath Hospice’s Home Hospice Program, and community hospital consultation services affiliated with Axis Palliative Healthcare, LLC, an affiliate of LifePath Hospice.
In addition, fellows may choose electives at the
Fellows are expected to identify a specific scholarly activity/research project during their first year and participate in this activity throughout the year. LifePath Hospice and Palliative Care, Inc., is one of the only hospices in the country with an active research department. At USF, fellows can also interact with multidisciplinary colleagues at the Center for Hospice, Palliative Care & End-of-Life Studies at USF, which focuses on education and research in end of life and palliative care. Fellows will be encouraged to submit one or more papers for publication in the medical literature.
During the training period, in addition to clinical rotations, fellows will participate in educational activities for and teach medical students, residents and other disciplines. Fellows will be evaluated monthly by interdisciplinary faculty in the six competency domains required by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education: Patient Care, Medical Knowledge, Practice-based Learning and Skills, Interpersonal and Communication Skills, Professionalism and Team-based Practice.
During the year, each palliative medicine fellow have a core educational experience that consists of 2 months of hospital-based inpatient palliative medicien, 2 months of hospital-based outpatient palliative medicine clinics, 2 months of home hospice care, and 2 month of free-standing hospice unit experience. The fellow will also have a continuity experience with a hospice home care team for 6 months and an outpatient palliative care clinic for 6 months. These settings give fellows opportunities to care for patients with a broad range of palliative care needs. Electives will be offered in geriatric home care, geriatric long-term care, oncology, radiation oncology, cardiology, pulmonary medicine, and ethics and humanities.
A completed application, including three letters of recommendation, should be sent to the Fellowship Program Director as soon as serious interest is determined. Candidates who have completed post-graduate training in Internal Medicine or Family Medicine will be eligible for this fellowship training program. Candidates will be judged on the strength of prior training, demonstrated clinical competence and potential for excellence in a career in hospice and palliative medicine. Interdisciplinary faculty members will interview selected candidates before final decisions are made. All enrolled fellows will receive a stipend based on the salary guidelines of the
It is the policy of the University of South Florida and affiliated institutions not to discriminate against any individual on the basis of race, color, religious creed, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, age, political affiliation, handicap or veteran status in matters of admissions, employment, or services in the educational programs or activities that it operates, in accordance with civil rights legislation and agency commitment.
The field of hospice and palliative medicine is both exciting and rewarding. Opportunities for practice in both academic and clinical areas remain widely available for well-trained graduates. The application form is available in two forms, Word and PDF You can forward your completed application via email or regular mail to:
Robert Walker, M.D., Program Director
c/o Donna Obuchowski
LifePath Hospice and Palliative Care
Email: obuchowskid@lifepath-hospice.org