Program Overview
The University of Louisville School of Medicine Palliative Medicine training program began operation in July 2004. As the first palliative medicine fellowship offered by a Kentucky University and one of over 60 programs nationwide, the program is a one-year, clinical training program for physicians.
Clinical Training
Required clinical training includes rotations at in-patient palliative care programs, community-based programs, and ambulatory care programs.
In-Patient Palliative Care Training
Rotations are offered a local hospice inpatient unit run by a community hospice program, a hospice inpatient unit run by the Louisville Veterans Affairs Medical Center (VAMC), a palliative care service located at an academic medical center and at the VAMC, and one hospice-affiliated, hospital-based palliative care consult service. Fellows spend a total of 9 months assigned to an IPU or consult service. This approach provides fellows with exposure to three different patient populations: community hospice IPU and palliative care consult patients; VAMC IPU and palliative care consult patients; and patients receiving palliative care consultation at an academic training hospital that is a Level 1 trauma center.
Community Care
Fellows are required to complete a one month rotation with the VAMC Home Based Primary Care (HBPC) Program seeing patients assigned to community hospice care. Additionally, fellows complete a required one month community hospice and palliative care long-term care rotation. While assigned to the community hospice and palliative care long-term care month fellows rotate with a board certified hospice physician who sees palliative care consults and hospice patients at more than ten local long-term care facilities.
Ambulatory Care
Fellows are required to complete a 12-month palliative care clinic experience. This rotation is offered one day per week, 12 months a year, through the VAMC oncology clinic. Fellows and the interdisciplinary team (nurse, oncologist, chaplain, social worker, palliative care coordinator, and nutritionist) meet with patients who are referred to the clinic. Through this clinic, fellows have a continuity palliative medicine experience in an ambulatory setting for the entire academic year.
Didactic Education
Fellows are required to participate in a 12-month didactic conference that convenes on a weekly basis. Conference consists of a 1 hour lecture addressing core palliative care concepts, Case Review, Journal Club, and Reflective Writing experiences.
Accreditation
The University of Louisville Palliative Medicine Fellowship is accredited under the voluntary accreditation committee, the Palliative Medicine Review Committee (PMRC) as of 2006, and received full ACGME accreditation in July of 2008.
Program Partners
Four organizations, University of Louisville School of Medicine, University Hospital, Louisville Veterans Affairs Medical Center, and Hosparus work together to provide a comprehensive clinical education program for physicians seeking specialty training in hospice and palliative medicine. Information on program partners may be found on the Participating Clinical Sites link on this site.
