Hospice & Palliative Medicine Fellowship

Message from the Program Director

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How do you feel about new beginnings? While I worked as a COVID-era hospitalist in the upper Midwest, I realized how unprepared I was to respond to patient suffering and the dying process. That difficult time led me to study medical humanities through Creighton University, which inspired me to pursue a fellowship in Hospice and Palliative Medicine. During my fellowship, I continued my exploration of the intersection of healthcare and the arts. When a position opened up at CHI Health in Omaha, affiliated with Creighton University, I knew I had found my professional home.

You see, my coursework at Creighton became a lifeline during a time when patients, families, and healthcare teams were overwhelmed and taxed in ways few had predicted. Now as a palliative care physician and fellowship program director, I have an opportunity to pay that forward, to provide a welcoming and nurturing training ground for a new Hospice and Palliative Medicine fellowship. What a privilege! And I have a lot of great teammates who are here to help—each with their own palliative care origin story.

Our team has found that stories—and the opportunity to share them—define us and heal us. Everyday we encounter the precious and the poignant—the wife who plants a big smooch on her newly extubated husband; the patient struggling with neuropathic hand pain who uses chunky markers to write out a homemade thank you card for our team. These are everyday reminders that patient-centered, compassionate care, begins with a commitment to and honoring of the patient story.

Come join us for a meaningful educational experience at a top-notch referral center! Whatever your primary board or career stage, we are eager to create a learning environment that is trainee-centered. Sure, we’ll help shore up your toolbox to respond to complex symptom management and grow your skill set in serious illness conversations. And we’d also like to be colleagues for life—for all of us to support one another on this journey where we have pledged to center the patient story in our work, minimize suffering, and promote self-care. Our team strives for excellent patient care and personal wellness. Piqued your interest? Come find a new beginning with us.