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Training compassionate leaders in serious illness care + end-of-life support at Tufts Medical Center

Our team is made up of dedicated experts who bring diverse backgrounds and a shared passion for hospice and palliative medicine. We include experienced physicians, nurse practitioners, social workers, and educators who work closely with fellows to provide compassionate, culturally sensitive care.

Our faculty mentors are committed to supporting your growth as a clinician, teacher and scholar. They guide fellows through clinical experiences, research projects and professional development, helping you build the skills to lead in palliative medicine.

We value collaboration, respect and lifelong learning as the foundation of our community. Together, we strive to improve quality of life for patients and families facing serious illness.

Educational + scholarly opportunities in hospice + palliative medicine in Boston

Our fellowship offers a wide range of clinical rotations and research projects designed to prepare you for a successful career in hospice and palliative medicine. You’ll gain hands-on experience working with diverse patient populations while engaging in meaningful scholarly activities that advance the field.

Educational + scholarly opportunities

Our program provides a robust curriculum to develop clinical knowledge, communication skills and leadership. Fellows participate in weekly didactics, team meetings and clinical teaching roles. Scholarly activity is strongly encouraged, with mentorship to help develop projects that contribute to the field.

• The core curriculum covers symptom management, communication and integration of palliative care principles.
• Fellows can serve as teaching assistants for medical student electives, enhancing their educational skills.
• Many fellows engage in research or quality improvement projects with faculty guidance, presenting their work at conferences and publishing findings.
• Advanced training options are available for fellows interested in further specialization in education or research.

These opportunities ensure fellows graduate as well-rounded clinicians, educators and innovators in hospice and palliative medicine.

For their elective, the palliative care fellow can choose to function as a teaching assistant for the 4th-year medical student elective in end-of-life care. In this role, students read literature relevant to end of life from a variety of fields including ethics, sociology and medicine. The hospice and palliative medicine fellow helps facilitate the class with Dr. Tamara Vesel and Dr. Klemens Meyer.

Clinical opportunities + rotations in hospice + palliative medicine in Boston

You will rotate through diverse clinical settings that expose you to the full range of palliative care needs. These experiences allow you to develop skills in symptom management, communication, and interdisciplinary collaboration. Each rotation offers unique learning opportunities and support from expert faculty to guide your growth.

Each clinical experience is designed to build competence and confidence in providing palliative care across settings and patient populations.

Advanced hospice + palliative medicine fellowship training at Tufts Medical Center

Our fellowship offers a rich, hands-on training experience to prepare you for compassionate care of people with serious illness across all settings. From hospital consultations to home hospice, outpatient clinics, long-term care and specialized pediatric care, you’ll build strong clinical, communication and leadership skills to support patients and families through life’s most important moments.

You’ll train at key sites including Tufts Medical Center, VA Boston Healthcare System, Tufts Medicine Care at Home and partner organizations serving medically complex adults and children. Throughout the year, you’ll work alongside experienced teams, receiving mentorship and feedback from leaders in palliative care.

You’ll also engage in teaching, quality improvement, and research, with protected time to focus on your individual interests—whether that’s deepening clinical expertise or pursuing scholarly projects.

By the end of the fellowship, you’ll be ready to lead with confidence and compassion in any palliative care setting, equipped to serve diverse communities with skill and empathy.

Comprehensive hospice + palliative medicine fellowship training at Tufts Medical Center

Our hospice and palliative medicine fellowship at Tufts Medical Center offers comprehensive training to develop clinicians skilled in providing expert, compassionate care for patients with serious illness. The program focuses on holistic management of symptoms, psychosocial support and effective communication to guide patients and families through complex decisions.

Key features of the program include:

• Diverse clinical experiences across inpatient consults, outpatient clinics, home hospice, inpatient hospice, long-term care and pediatric palliative care
• Mentorship from a multidisciplinary team including physicians, nurse practitioners, social workers and other health professionals
• A structured core curriculum covering symptom management, communication skills, ethics and cultural considerations
• Opportunities to teach medical students, lead interprofessional education, and engage in scholarly projects, including research, quality improvement and clinical innovation
• Regular grand rounds featuring advances in palliative care research and clinical practice

The fellowship fosters a collaborative learning environment that promotes professional growth, critical thinking and compassionate care delivery. Graduates are prepared to provide high-quality, patient-centered palliative care that addresses the complex needs of patients and their families.