Four Week Session
Note: availability varies
Rotation Coordinator:
Jennifer Cheng, MD
Rotation Description:
This is an advanced clinical elective for medical students who have a particular interest in Pain and Palliative Care.
The NIH Clinical Research Center (CRC) is comprised of over 27 Institutes and Centers whose purpose is the conduct of clinical research with medically and surgically ill patient subjects. The NIH Clinical Center Pain and Palliative Care Service provides consults to NIH CRC inpatients and outpatients who have a wide array of medical illnesses including cancer, primary immunodeficiencies, rare genetic diseases, infectious diseases, and endocrine and autoimmune disorders.
Students will observe clinical consults of patient participants referred to the Pain and Palliative Care Service, prepare case or journal club presentations, and learn about providing symptom management and addressing patient and caregiver quality of life concerns in a clinical research setting. The student will round with the team on the inpatient unit, go to outpatient clinic, attend weekly interdisciplinary rounds and all educational opportunities provided by the service. Because this is a small course, rotational experience will vary widely in accordance with the needs and interests of each student.
Palliative care is medical care that provides relief from suffering and support for the best possible quality of life for patients and their families facing serious illnesses. Palliative care improves quality of life, by focusing on the physical, psychosocial, spiritual aspects of care. Both pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic modalities are used including mind-body modalities, energy medicine, acupuncture, pet therapy, and art therapy.
Staff:
- Karen Baker, RN, MSN, CRNP
- M. Jennifer Cheng, MD
- Eva Cummings. MT/Program Specialist
- Sharon Kim, DO
- Mimi Mahon, PhD, CRNP