Clinical rotations
The schedule below represents the major educational experiences fellows can expect during the academic year. Rotation timing and assignments may vary based on educational needs and program scheduling.
Orientation | Approximately 3 Weeks
Location: Trustbridge – Gerstenberg Hospice Center
Fellows begin the academic year with a comprehensive orientation to the fellowship and participating clinical sites. Orientation includes organizational policies and procedures, benefits, electronic medical record (EMR) training, clinical training, didactic sessions, team-building activities, and preparation for the year ahead.
Inpatient Hospice (IPU) Core | 1 Month
Location: Trustbridge – Gerstenberg Hospice Center
Fellows begin their clinical training in a dedicated hospice inpatient unit, establishing a strong foundation in the medical and psychosocial principles of hospice and palliative medicine. Fellows participate in pre-rounding, interdisciplinary teaching rounds, new patient evaluations, didactics, article reviews, and other clinically focused educational activities.
Home Hospice Core | 4 Weeks + Longitudinal Experience
Location: Trustbridge – Gerstenberg Hospice Center
This experience introduces fellows to the unique aspects of providing hospice care in patients’ homes, skilled nursing facilities, and assisted living facilities. Fellows participate in interdisciplinary care planning, home visits, and biweekly interdisciplinary team meetings.
Following the initial four-week rotation, fellows continue to follow a smaller cohort of approximately 15–30 patients throughout the academic year. This longitudinal experience allows fellows to follow patients and families throughout the trajectory of terminal illness while developing skills in symptom management, communication, care coordination, and complex decision-making.
Inpatient Hospice Longitudinal / VA Inpatient Hospice | 3 Months
Locations: Trustbridge – Gerstenberg Hospice Center (2 months) and West Palm Beach VA Medical Center (1 month)
Fellows gain progressive responsibility for the day-to-day management of hospice patients admitted for symptom management, family education, and other complex care needs.
The experience includes interdisciplinary rounds, clinical documentation, family conferences, symptom management, and consultative services. Fellows also develop their skills as educators by supervising, mentoring, and teaching residents and medical students when learners are assigned to the service.
Inpatient Palliative Care | 2 Months
Location: HCA Florida JFK Hospital
This rotation provides dedicated inpatient palliative medicine consultation experience. Fellows work alongside the palliative care team, including within the intensive care setting, and participate in complex symptom management, goals-of-care discussions, and care surrounding the withdrawal of life-sustaining therapies when appropriate.
Fellows also have opportunities to teach and guide residents and medical students in the principles of palliative medicine.
Pain Management & Rehabilitation | 1 Month
Location: West Palm Beach VA Medical Center
Fellows participate in inpatient and outpatient pain management and rehabilitation experiences, gaining exposure to the evaluation and treatment of complex pain as well as invasive and non-invasive pain management approaches.
Long-Term Care | 1 Month
Location: West Palm Beach VA Medical Center – Community Living Center
The Community Living Center provides fellows with meaningful exposure to longitudinal care of an aging and medically complex population. Fellows evaluate residents’ ongoing medical needs and follow patients as they transition between long-term, palliative, and hospice care.
This experience strengthens fellows’ understanding of geriatric medicine, transitions of care, and the evolving needs of patients with serious illness.
Medical Examiner | 1 Week
Location: Palm Beach County Medical Examiner’s Office
Fellows participate in daily conferences and spend time with medical investigators to better understand the Medical Examiner’s jurisdiction, investigation of death, and death certification. Exposure to autopsy and microscopic pathology may also be available.
This unique rotation strengthens fellows’ knowledge and confidence in appropriately completing death attestations.
Palliative Cardiology | 1 Week
Location: HCA Florida JFK Hospital
Fellows gain focused exposure to the integration of palliative medicine within advanced cardiovascular care, with particular emphasis on patients with congestive heart failure. Educational experiences also include considerations related to left ventricular assist device (LVAD) support, maintenance, and withdrawal.
Radiation Oncology | 2 Weeks
Location: Advocate Radiation Oncology, LLC
This rotation provides exposure to the role of radiation oncology in caring for patients with cancer and serious illness. Educational topics may include palliative radiation for brain and bone metastases, multidisciplinary cancer care, treatment-related side effects, and indications for advanced radiation therapies.
Pediatric Palliative Care | 2 Weeks
Location: Pediatric Oncology Support Team
Fellows gain experience caring for children with chronic, serious, and terminal illnesses in both outpatient and hospital settings. Working alongside a specialized interdisciplinary team, fellows participate in comprehensive care planning and gain an understanding of the unique psychosocial and clinical needs of pediatric patients and their families.
Bereavement & Self-Care | 1 Week
Location: Trustbridge – Gerstenberg Hospice Center
This dedicated experience exposes fellows to the important role of bereavement support and integrative therapies in hospice and palliative care. Fellows spend time with bereavement counselors and observe services designed to support adults, children, and families following a loss.
Fellows also explore integrative approaches and self-care strategies, developing a greater appreciation for their role in supporting patients, families, and health care professionals.
Elective | 1 Month
Fellows select an elective experience based on their professional interests and career goals, subject to Program Director approval. Potential electives may include:
- Ethics Consultation
- Geriatric Medicine
- Interventional Pain Management
- Medical Psychiatry
- Pediatrics
- HIV Medicine
- Medical Oncology
- Radiation Oncology
- Pulmonary Medicine
- Cardiology
- Neurology
Education beyond the clinical rotations
Fellowship education extends throughout the academic year. In addition to clinical rotations, fellows participate in scheduled didactic education, monthly journal club, committee and staff meetings, wellness activities, and teaching opportunities.
As their knowledge and experience progress, fellows are encouraged to take an active role in educating residents, medical students, and other learners.
Scholarship & Quality Improvement
Each fellow completes a quality improvement project as part of the fellowship’s scholarly activity expectations. Fellows also complete additional academic and scholarly activities throughout the year and prepare a year-end presentation shared with participating fellowship entities.
Professional Development
The fellowship encourages continued engagement with the broader hospice and palliative medicine community. Fellows will attend the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine (AAHPM) Annual Assembly, providing an opportunity for continued education, professional networking, and exposure to developments within the specialty.
This sample schedule is intended to provide an overview of the fellowship experience. Specific rotations, locations, duration, and sequencing are subject to change based on program and educational needs.