The Preserving Quality and Meaning in Life (PQML) Scholars Program aims to build on the core curriculum by providing opportunities to explore the Hospice and Palliative Care medical specialties, learn about communication with patients and families in end-of-life care, and develop coping mechanisms and strategies for processing grief/bereavement both personally and professionally.

On the whole, the program presents itself both as a supplement to the existing geriatric and palliative care curriculum, offering monthly program sessions that touch on a variety of topics that center on honoring the patient’s life.  

All medical students across all four years are eligible to join the program. Program sessions are open to anyone interested in attending, and are not limited exclusively to program participants. Join our interest group email list to stay connected.

Current Program Sessions

  1. Introduction to Palliative Care Medicine and Hospice Care Medicine 
  2. Grief and Bereavement 
  3. Humanities for Meaning – Engaging with death and dying through art/alternative forms of expression
  4. Pediatric Palliative Care 
  5. Communication Skills
  6. Ethical Dilemmas within Palliative and Hospice Care
  7. Pathophysiology of Death and Dying 

Scholars Program Requirements

Completion of the Scholars program is contingent on attending a minimum of six of eight program sessions. Following program session attendance, participants must submit a reflection in whichever medium they choose. This reflection should be an individual expression of insight gained while participating in the program session. Mediums may include free-handwriting, poetry writing, songwriting, musical pieces, visual art pieces, or simply a typed reflective paragraph. 

Opportunities for alternative assignments are available in the form of additional reflections. A list of books, films, and articles will be distributed to all participants. Students needing to make-up program sessions may choose a title from the list provided and write a two-page reflection which will be reviewed and approved by PQML leadership, including our faculty advisor. 

A capstone project will also be required for program completion. For students in their preclinical years, they will be asked to put together a presentation on how the program will shape their future practice, whether that is in a specific specialty or medicine as a whole. For students in their clinical years, they will be asked to present a case where palliative care was involved or where palliative care should have been involved. Alternative presentation topics will be considered on a case-by-case basis. 

Each program session ranges from 1-2.5 hours. These program sessions will occur 1-2x per month for a total of approximately eight total program sessions. These program sessions range from didactic experiences to interactive workshops to introspective art nights. 

Student Leadership Team

Dennis Jang
MS2 - Program Contact
mjang@wakehealth.edu
Isabella Cornea
MS3 - Program Contact
icornea@wakehealth.edu
Ryan Hilton
MS4
rshilton@wakehealth.edu
Davis Temple
MS4
dtemple@wakehealth.edu
Saadia Nur
MS4
snur@wakehealth.edu
Kirsten Fernando
MS3
kfernand@wakehealth.edu
Samantha Aloysius
MS2
saloysiu@wakehealth.edu
Brandon Zhang
MS2
bjzhang@wakehealth.edu