A Report on the Innovative University of Colorado Community Hospice and Palliative Medicine Fellowship

J Palliat Med. 2024 Mar;27(3):400-404. doi: 10.1089/jpm.2023.0286. Epub 2023 Dec 22.

Abstract

Background: Predictive health services modeling signals a shortage of board-certified Hospice and Palliative Medicine (HPM) physicians. Methods: This article introduces the Community Hospice and Palliative Medicine (CHPM) Fellowship, an Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) Advancing Innovation in Residency Education (AIRE) project designed to enable mid-career physicians (at least five years out from residency or fellowship) to achieve eligibility for board certification in HPM. Results: From 2020 to 2023, 24 fellows have completed or are currently participating in the CHPM fellowship which is evaluated using the Kirkpatrick model. Conclusion: This program shows promise in addressing the impending HPM workforce shortage by allowing physicians to complete a fellowship in their local communities.

Keywords: ACGME Demonstration Project; distance learning; fellowship; palliative medicine.

MeSH terms

  • Accreditation
  • Certification
  • Fellowships and Scholarships
  • Hospices*
  • Humans
  • Palliative Medicine*