This two-and-one-half-day course is designed to offer physicians, nurses, and allied health professionals essential knowledge and skills to provide high quality palliative care to patients with serious illnesses in a variety of practice settings. It addresses the assessment and management of physical, psychological, social, and spiritual/existential sources of suffering experienced by seriously ill patients and their families. Through plenary sessions and small breakout groups, participants will develop a toolbox of palliative care competencies and will learn from colleagues facing similar practice challenges.

Sessions will focus on pain and symptom management, serious illness communication, trajectory and prognosis of various oncologic and non-oncologic conditions, bereavement, experience of illness across the life cycle, system-level innovation, and ethical, legal, and practical issues at the end of life. Recent research in palliative care will also be presented.

Interactive learning formats include: Q&A, panel presentations, small group case-based discussions, communication skills practice, and ask the expert sessions. The course is designed to change both learner competence and performance in practice.