This rotation is designed to provide the student with a broad-based experience in palliative medicine. It combines clinical teaching from different sites to give the student an overview of symptomatic therapies, communication skills and interdisciplinary care in varied settings.

The student will spend two weeks at each of two hospitals (ordinarily, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center and ECMC). The Roswell experience is largely focused on cancer diagnoses and may involve both ambulatory and inpatient experiences (in an interdisciplinary team). The experience at ECMC (also interdisciplinary) includes an eclectic mix of communications training and exposure to socio-economic factors that impact advanced illness in patients, families and the community at large. In addition to the two clinical sites, students will take part in an extended standardized patient scenario in the Clinical Competency Center located in the Jacobs School.

Upon completion of this rotation, the student will have:

• developed important attitudes concerning appropriate timing of palliative care, based on accurate prognosis determination and rational goals of medicine,
• gained a sound knowledge base in symptomatic management of patients with a variety of distressing symptoms, 
• and acquired clinical skills in effective but compassionate communication.

Prerequisite: MS4

Modules: A-K

Number of students: 2

Course Director(s): Eric Hansen, MD, Mehak Swami, DO

Course Coordinator: Michelle Dicenzo