The fellowship program is structured along the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) competencies in Hospice and Palliative Medicine. Through a series of clinical rotations, didactics, participation in scholarly activities, and varying seminars, the fellow will:

  • Satisfy the requirements to sit for the ABIM Hospice and Palliative Medicine board certification exam.
  • Develop expertise in assessment and management of symptoms related to chronic and life-limiting illness and provide high-quality end-of-life care.
  • Master the knowledge of Hospice and Palliative Medicine and commit to life-long learning.
  • Employ effective communication skills in interaction with patients, families, and other healthcare professionals.
  • Incorporate and support interdisciplinary team-care in future clinical venues.
  • Appreciate a supportive environment where professionalism, ethical principles, and teamwork are promoted and valued.

Palliative Medicine Research and Education Opportunities

Dr. Jennifer Gabbard, director of the Serious Illness and Palliative Medicine Research Group, shares about research and education opportunities at Wake Forest. Topics include: focus on evidence based medicine including journal club and research series, emphasis on education including 4th year clerkship and rotations for students and residents, teaching opportunities for fellows, description of palliative medicine research center, pathways for research fellowship year, and examples of current research at Wake Forest.

Clinical Rotations

The clinical curriculum is organized into quarters and includes:

  • 4-5 months of inpatient palliative care consults and inpatient palliative care unit
  • 6 weeks of inpatient hospice
  • 1 month research/scholarly time
  • 2 weeks of anesthesia pain and addiction medicine
  • 3 weeks of pediatric palliative care
  • 2 weeks of palliative neurology and oncology
  • 1 week of radiation oncology
  • 1 month of long-term care
  • 1 month of elective time
  • 4 weeks home hospice

Over the 12-month fellowship program, rotations occur at locations that include:

  • Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center
  • Brenner Children's Hospital
  • Trellis Supportive Care
  • Novant Health Forsyth Medical Center
  • Bermuda Village
  • Hospice of the Piedmont

Fellows also will have a longitudinal continuity clinic embedded within the Wake Forest Baptist Health Comprehensive Cancer Center.

Academic pathways

Fellows can choose between a one-year clinical Hospice and Palliative Fellowship track, a two-year Research Track (which includes one-year clinical year and one year research year), or can consider doing fellowships in both Geriatrics and Hospice and Palliative Medicine.

Conferences and Didactics

The following describes the non-clinical learning experiences for fellows at the Wake Forest Hospice and Palliative Medicine Fellowship. Most of these occur in an academic half-day fashion, one half-day per week.

  • Case conference
  • Journal club
  • Psychosocial-spiritual case conference
  • Narrative medicine
  • American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine Annual Assembly
Table of schedule for hospice and palliative medicine fellowship's academic half-day