Hospice and Palliative Care
Title of Clerkship: Hospice and Palliative Care
Elective Year(s): Fourth-Year
Department: Internal Medicine
Type of Elective: Clinical
Clerkship Site: Various sites around Toledo area
Course Number: MEDI 720
Blocks Available: All
Number of Students/ Block: 1
Faculty: Annette Collier, M.D., Marsha Paul, M.D., Kose, M.D. and other various faculty
Elective Description/ Requirements:
This elective is designed to provide the student with an opportunity to understand
the goals and objectives of hospice and palliative care. Students will round with
physicians and nurses on inpatient settings and on home visits.
Length of Clerkship: 2 weeks
Educational Course Objectives and Links to EPOs:
- Define hospice and palliative care services and explain these to patients and families. (EPOs: MK-6, MK-8)
- Identify appropriate patients for referral to hospice and palliative care. (EPOs: MK-4, MK-6, MK-8)
- Describe the Hospice Medicare Benefit including eligibility criteria for this benefit. (EPOs: SBP-1, MK-3)
- Define the structure and function of the interdisciplinary team. (EPOs: PC-9, PC-4)
- Demonstrate appropriate communication skills including an ability to give bad news and discuss resuscitation preferences using patient-centered communication techniques. (EPOs: IPC-1, IPC-3)
- Conduct a pain assessment, differentiate between nociceptive and neuropathic pain, define appropriate uses for opioid medications and describe principles of regional pain management. (EPOs: MK-6)
- Describe and apply ethical principles that inform decision making. (EPOs: PC-2)
- Assess patients for non-pain symptoms common in palliative care and outline a basic approach to management of these conditions. (EPOs: MK-6)
- Identify key prognostic factors used to predict survival. (EPOs: MK-1, MK-4, MK-8)
- Demonstrate an ability to identify psychosocial distress and identify cultural and spiritual issues affecting the patient and family. (EPOs: MK-2, MK-3)
Professionalism: Students will meet or exceed the institutional standards for professionalism as stated in the current Educational Program Objectives and the current Educational Course Objectives for the Sponsoring Department.
Instructional Methods:
- Assigned readings
- Discussions with physicians and nurses
- Attendance at interdisciplinary team meetings
- Role play to assess communication skills
- Observation of clinical encounters between clinicians and patients/families
Evaluation Methods:
- Attendance
- Faculty evaluations
- Role play assessments
Prerequisites: Successful completion of required Internal Medicine Clerkship
Clerkship Director: Mani Askari, M.D.
Clerkship Coordinator: Dawn Jagodzinski
Phone Number: 419-383-5022
Email: Dawn.jagodzinski@utoledo.edu
Special Requirements: None
ECC Approved
June 2023