Old Dominion University Program

The Hospice and Palliative Medicine Fellowship at Macon & Joan Brock Virginia Health Sciences, Old Dominion University, is a comprehensive one-year program designed to provide fellows with extensive training in delivering care to patients with serious, life-limiting illnesses. The program emphasizes both clinical and educational experiences to equip fellows with the necessary skills in this vital field of medicine.

Curriculum Overview

The curriculum comprises a variety of clinical rotations, including inpatient palliative care, outpatient continuity clinics, ambulatory care, and hospice and long-term care settings. These experiences are carefully structured to enable fellows to manage complex patient needs across diverse healthcare environments 1.

Clinical Rotations

Fellows participate in a range of elective rotations, which may include:

• Outpatient Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation
• Pain Management Clinic
• Memory Assessment Consultation Clinic
• Critical Care Division
• Nephrology Division

This multidisciplinary approach helps fellows gain exposure to various aspects of patient care, from symptom management in chronic disease to end-of-life care 1.

Educational Experiences

To complement clinical training, the fellowship includes educational components such as:

• Journal clubs
• Topic review and case conferences
• Standardized patient visits
• Final rounds to discuss patient loss and continuous improvement
• Access to the Center to Advance Palliative Care online curriculum

These learning opportunities promote clinical reasoning and foster a deeper understanding of palliative care practices 1.

Training Sites

The fellowship involves training at multiple prestigious institutions, ensuring varied experiences:

• Sentara Norfolk General Hospital: A Level I trauma center providing comprehensive diagnostic and therapeutic services, where fellows work directly with the Palliative Care Medicine team.
• Lake Taylor Transitional Care Hospital: Offering sub-acute hospital care and skilled nursing care, focusing on rehabilitative services post-acute illness.
• Sentara Heart Hospital: A dedicated heart facility that includes an Advanced Heart Failure Palliative Medicine clinic.
• CHKD, Children’s Hospital of The King’s Daughters: The only freestanding children's hospital in Virginia, emphasizing pediatric palliative care.
• Edmarc Hospice for Children: The first hospice designed specifically for children, providing unique learning experiences in pediatric palliative care.
• Hampton Veterans Affairs Medical Center: Provides comprehensive care across various medical specialties, including hospice services.
• Sentara Hospice: Supporting multiple care settings, where fellows learn the nuances of hospice care 2.

Supportive Environment

The program emphasizes wellness and work-life balance for its fellows. Through initiatives like the Wellness Works program, fellows gain access to a variety of resources, such as support groups, counseling services, fitness clubs, and leadership coaching 2.

Visa Support

The fellowship program is friendly to international medical graduates (IMGs) and provides visa sponsorship for J-1 exchange visitor visas, which is essential for foreign trainees seeking to pursue fellowship programs in the United States.

Competitiveness and Application Requirements

Admission into the Hospice and Palliative Medicine Fellowship is considered competitive. The program is approachable for both DOs and IMGs, making it an inclusive option for diverse medical graduates. Application qualifications may include maximum allowable failed USMLE Step exams and specific timeframes since graduation, which fosters a quality cohort of fellows committed to the field.