The Duke Fellowship in Hospice and Palliative Medicine is a one-year program designed to train future leaders in palliative care.

 

Fellows spend nine months concurrently on the inpatient Palliative Care Services at the Durham VA Medical Center and Duke University Hospital, which provides a solid foundation in a well-developed, functioning, interdisciplinary, team-based model of inpatient palliative care.

 

 Throughout the year, the fellow also serves as a member of a care team at Duke HomeCare & Hospice, which provides a continuity experience in community-based, outpatient palliative care.

 

Fellows serve the equivalent of eight weeks on the DHCH rotation.

 

Finally, the fellow has four weeks for elective rotations in settings affiliated with DUMC and selected by the fellow.  

 

Fellows interested in an academic career have the option of doing an additional one-to-two-year research training program* through the Durham VA Center for Health Services Research. Fellows in this program enroll in the Duke Clinical Research Training Program with the potential to earn a Master of Health Science in Clinical Research.

 

Research fellows design and complete an independent research project under the guidance of a faculty mentor. Additional components of the curriculum include:

 

• Preparation as an educator, accomplished through didactic training, delivery of presentations, and direct teaching opportunities
• Supporting academic coursework in areas of the fellow’s and mentor’s choosing

 

Fellows graduate the program with a strong background in palliative medicine having gained:

 

 

James A. Tulsky, MD, Professor of Medicine and Director, Center for Palliative Care directs the Fellowship program. Katja Elbert-Avila, MD serves as the Associate Program Director.

 

Applicants must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, hold an MD or DO degree, and be Board eligible in a relevant specialty.

 

For further information or to apply, please contact:

Katja Elbert-Avila, MD

Fellowship, Asst. Program Director

Center for Palliative Care

Hock Plaza, Suite 1105, Box 2720

2424 Erwin Road

Durham, NC 27705

(919) 668-7215 - Administrative Office Phone

elber002@mc.duke.edu

 

*Applicants interested in the research training program (optional Program Years 2 and 3) must apply at the time they apply for the Palliative Medicine Fellowship (Program Year 1) and complete a separate application. Acceptance into the Palliative Medicine Fellowship does not automatically guarantee acceptance into the research training program.