Scholarly Activities
Fellows' Scholarly Activities
In addition to direct patient care responsibilities in a variety of clinical settings, the fellow will be provided with a variety of didactic lectures and learning experiences. Extensive library materials and services are available to the fellow at the UT Southwestern/ Parkland Hospital and Dallas VA Medical Center. Fellows will also have dedicated time for scholarly activities set aside.
Attendance at National Meetings
Fellows are encouraged to attend national meetings relevant to hospice and palliative medicine and are also provided CME funds to do so.
Didactics
Fellows begin their year with orientation “Boot Camp” when the faculty provide a basic lecture series and introduction to the program prior to starting rotations. After that, dedicated lecture series will occur every Tuesday morning, covering core topics in Hospice and Palliative Medicine. These Tuesday academic mornings are protected from clinical and pager duties.
Quality Improvement Project
Fellows will meet regularly with faculty mentors over the course of the year to gain the skills, knowledge, and tools necessary to lead quality improvement projects and change initiatives designed to improve patient outcomes. Fellows will work together in groups complete a quality improvement project over the course of the year.
Faculty Mentor
Fellows will be assigned a faculty mentor. Fellows and their mentors meet quarterly to address fellow concerns and wellbeing, provide academic and clinical guidance, focused career planning, and a host of other topics.
Texas Consortium of Hospice and Palliative Medicine
The Texas Consortium of Hospice and Palliative Medicine is a network of palliative care programs that started in 2021. Fellows from this network of palliative care programs meet twice monthly for virtual journal club and didactics. The consortium also hosts an annual retreat. All fellows will be excused from clinical duties and will travel to meet with fellows from other palliative care programs from all over Texas. The hope of the retreat is to facilitate professional development and networking.