Publication
Perinatal Palliative Care Fellowship: Development of a Novel Subspeciality Track in Palliative Medicine
Vente T, Henner N, Fry J · Journal of Pain and Symptom Management · 2024
Outcomes: 1. In reviewing trends in pediatric palliative medicine fellowship applicant pools and discussing the landscape of perinatal medicine, participants will understand the rationale for development of a new subspecialty fellowship track in hospice and palliative medicine (HPM). 2. Utilizing a discussion-based approach, participants will be able to apply the steps needed for the approval process and program development necessary to create a new HPM fellowship track. Key Message: A novel, ACGME approved perinatal palliative medicine fellowship track was designed as a unique training opportunity for clinical care, education, research, and program development within perinatal palliative care to meet the demand for and growing interest in perinatal palliative care training. Introduction: There has been a noticeable increase in hospice & palliative medicine (HPM) fellowship applicants who express interest in a career integrating Neonatology, Palliative care (PC), and Ethics. Currently no fellowship training programs are designed to meet this goal, despite greater need for clinicians with combined expertise as perinatal medicine sees ever-greater advances in diagnostic capabilities and possible interventions. To meet this need, a novel fellowship track was developed, inspired by combined adult subspecialty medicine and PC training programs.1,2 Objectives: The HPM Fellowship program at Northwestern University sought to create a novel ACGME approved subspecialty fellowship track for training in perinatal PC. Method(s): Institutional support was leveraged between a well-established HPM Fellowship program with a pediatric track and a perinatal PC service that collaborates with a large regional fetal health center. Stakeholders were identified to design learning objectives and clinical experiences in perinatal PC to augment already existing rotations in adult and pediatric HPM. Approval was obtained from institutional GME and the ACGME to adhere to training standards and requirements and ensure eligibility for board certification. With philanthropic and institutional financial support secured, the fellowship track participated in the NRMP Match for the 2023-2024 academic year. Select novel rotations were piloted with a fellow in the existing pediatric HPM program and methods of eliciting feedback and measuring performance were evaluated and fine-tuned prior to start of the fellowship. Result(s): Upon successful recruitment, the inaugural trainee to the perinatal HPM fellowship track has started the academic year with expected program completion in June 2024. Conclusion(s): Formal education and training will help meet the ongoing need for expert clinicians in the field of perinatal PC. Successful design, approval, and implementation of a perinatal HPM fellowship track could serve as a model for creation of additional subspecialty tracks within pediatric PC. Keywords: Models of Palliative Care Delivery / Workforce / Career DevelopmentCopyright © 2024
Synced from the TRENDS in Pediatric Palliative Care Zotero library, curated by The Siden Research Team. ICPCN does not host or verify the full text.