Our program’s curriculum is competency-based and consists of clinical rotations, continuity experiences and conferences. Below is a topical overview of our curriculum.

1. Epidemiology, natural history, and treatment options for patients with common chronic, serious, and life-threatening conditions including pediatrics.
2. History of the development of the discipline of Hospice and Palliative Medicine.
3. Age-appropriate comprehensive assessment including physical, cognitive, functional, social, psychological, and spiritual domains using history, examination, appropriate laboratory studies, and assessment of suffering and quality of life.
4. The role, function, and development of the interdisciplinary team and its component disciplines in the practice of palliative care.
5. Management of common co-morbidities and complications in patients with life-threatening illness.
6. Management of neuro-psychiatric co-morbidities in patients with life-threatening illnesses.
7. Management of symptoms in palliative care patients including pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic modalities, and pharmacodynamics of commonly used agents. Symptom management also includes patient and family education, psychosocial and spiritual support, and appropriate referrals for other modalities such as invasive procedures.

Continuity Experiences

The continuity experiences consist of a 6 month-equivalent in the outpatient palliative clinics at Moffitt. These experiences take place one day each month at Moffitt.

Didactics

• Hospice & Palliative Medicine Grand Rounds
• Journal Club
• Case conferences
• Board Review

Educating Others

During the training year, fellows will participate in educational activities that involve teaching medical students, residents and learners from other disciplines.

Electronic evaluation forms are used by the faculty as one of the ways to assess the fellows. These evaluations have been devised to assess the aspects of the ACGME’s Six Core Competencies: Patient Care, Medical Knowledge, Interpersonal and Communication Skills, Professionalism, Systems-Based Practice and Practice-Based Learning and Improvement. Fellows receive written and verbal feedback at the end of each rotation from the faculty preceptor and fellows are given the opportunity to review and ask questions.

Tampa General Hospital

• Consult Service
• Long Term Care

Moffitt Cancer Center

• Consult Service
• Continuity Clinic
• Elective Opportunities including: Interventional Pain

Chapters Health System/LifePath Hospice

• Hospice Inpatient
• Home Hospice Care
• Elective Opportunities including: Pediatric Palliative Care & Community Hospital Palliative Care

James A. Haley VA

• Long-term Care
• Home-Based Primary Care
• Outpatient Palliative Care