Nationwide Children's Hospital/Ohio State University Program

The Hospice and Palliative Medicine Fellowship is a one-year, ACGME-accredited program that aims to enhance the skills of physicians focusing on palliative and hospice care. Located at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, this program is positioned at one of the largest pediatric health care and research centers in the country, catering to over one million patients annually. The program is distinctively dedicated to the Pediatric Palliative Care and Hospice Program, which aspires to attract physicians who wish to hone their abilities in managing patients with life-threatening conditions and providing end-of-life care.

The fellowship trains one fellow per year and emphasizes critical areas including symptom management, treatment planning, and addressing the psychosocial and spiritual dimensions of health. The training encourages fellows to engage deeply with pediatric patients dealing with complex life-threatening issues and their families. Skills in expert communication, excellence in symptom management, and proficiency in hospice care constitute key components of the fellowship curriculum.

Curriculum Overview

The fellowship offers a comprehensive curriculum featuring a robust inpatient consultative service. This allows fellows to engage with a diverse patient population, including those in need of transplant evaluations and patients requiring intensive care in various units such as NICU, PICU, and CTICU. A significant part of the training involves Comprehensive Pain Services at Nationwide Children's Hospital, concentrating on thorough symptom management, which includes opioid management and various non-pharmacological approaches.

Scheduled didactic sessions, communication workshops, simulations, journal clubs, and Palliative Medicine Grand Rounds play an integral role in the educational framework. The fellowship promotes collaborative learning among fellows from Nationwide Children's Hospital, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, and Ohio Health Riverside Methodist Hospital. This community of learning fosters networking opportunities and enriches the overall educational experience.

Palliative Care Interdisciplinary Curriculum

The Palliative Care Interdisciplinary Curriculum consists of several modules that have been created during educational presentations for Hospice and Palliative Medicine fellows, led by expert interdisciplinary faculty members. This initiative ensures that fellows receive state-of-the-art education in palliative care practices.

Clinical Experience

The clinical experience over one year includes an extensive variety of rotations: a 4-week didactic boot camp, an 18-week inpatient consult service at Nationwide Children's Hospital, and a 10-week experience with the home-based Palliative and Hospice Medicine Program. Additional experiences include 4 weeks at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center's James Cancer Hospital, 4 weeks at the Ohio Health Riverside Methodist Hospital Kobacker Inpatient Hospice, and other rotations focused on pharmacology and research quality improvement.

Training Sites

The fellowship provides hands-on training within both inpatient and home-based palliative care settings. The Advanced Illness Management Team is instrumental, consulting on over 450 inpatients annually from various departments. The Homecare Program is similarly engaged, delivering medical management through the palliative care faculty and fellows, offering a unique opportunity to observe and participate in continuous patient care.

Research & Advocacy

Research education is pivotal to the fellowship. Nationwide Children's Hospital is recognized as a leading pediatric research institution that focuses on training future scientists in pediatric research disciplines. Advocacy training is equally emphasized to foster interests in child advocacy, focusing on diverse facets including social determinants of health and health policy, ensuring fellows engage with and influence community health challenges.

Application & Qualifications

To qualify for the fellowship, candidates must complete an ACGME-approved residency in family medicine, internal medicine-pediatrics, or pediatrics, and should be board-eligible or board-certified in these respective fields. Applications are submitted online, accompanied by a curriculum vitae and three letters of recommendation, including one from a residency program director. Interviews are generally scheduled from July through October.

Visas and Competitiveness

The program is competitive but remains open to a wide range of applicants, including those with DO backgrounds and international medical graduates (IMGs). It also offers visa sponsorship for qualified candidates, including J-1 exchange visitor and H-1B visa types, facilitating international participation in the fellowship.

Fellowship Benefits

Fellows are considered hospital employees and are entitled to the same benefits extended to other full-time staff members at Nationwide Children’s Hospital. This includes health insurance, paid vacation, and access to educational resources tailored to their professional development.

Life in Columbus

Columbus, Ohio, offers vibrant neighborhoods alongside abundant arts and entertainment, making it an appealing location for both professional growth and personal enjoyment.