Practice-PC: Interprofessional Continuing Education in Palliative Care for Practicing Clinicians
Palliative care is an interprofessional specialty focused on symptom management, quality of life, and relief of distress for patients who are living with serious illness and their families.
The UCSF Interprofessional Palliative Care Continuing Education Course (Practice-PC) was created in 2015 to address a workforce shortage that is a key limiting factor in the dissemination of palliative care.
Program features:
- In-person interactive learning
- Small interprofessional cohort
- Expert interprofessional faculty, including nursing, physician, social work, and chaplain leads
- Training in core domains of clinical palliative care
- VitalTalk-style in-depth communications training
- Focus on professional well-being
- Mentorship from program faculty and peers
Curriculum includes:
- Interprofessional assessment
- Pain and symptom management
- Psychosocial and spiritual well-being
- Interprofessional practice
- Ethics and advance care planning
- Palliative care within the health system
- Anticipatory guidance
- Last hours and bereavement
Who Is This Program For?
This program was developed to meet the needs of working professionals from a range of disciplines and work settings across the greater Bay Area. We encourage all professionals to apply, including but not limited to nurses, advanced practice nurses, physicians, chaplains, community-based clergy, social workers, pharmacists, nursing aides, case managers, psychologists, therapists, family support coordinators, and interpreters.
Prior participants include professionals who:
- Regularly work with seriously ill patients and want to improve their palliative skills
- Want to develop or lead programs in palliative care
- Champion palliative care in their institutions
- Desire an in-depth introduction to the field
- Plan to transition into the field of palliative care
Format and Schedule
This program is designed as a longitudinal, small group experience over the course of 9 sessions. This format maximizes interaction between students and faculty and among students, and promotes students’ ability to integrate learnings into their clinical practice.
Sessions occur from 9 AM - 5 PM and will be in person. See side bar for current cohort dates.
Tuition
Program Tuition for 2025-2026 cohort: $4,900
We do not want to turn away any qualified applicant because of inability to pay. Although we ask that all applicants pay something, we have a generous scholarship fund available to assist with tuition. Scholarship application available after applying for course.
Tuition includes a maximum of 50 hour of continuing education credits. Please contact us with questions.
Application Process and Requirements
We can accommodate approximately 40 participants for the 2025-2026 cohort. All health professionals who wish to gain additional training in palliative care are invited to apply. (Prior training in palliative care is not required).
Applicants must have completed the initial degree and required licensure and/or certification for their profession(s). The cohort selection is based on commitment to the field and planned impact, and to yield a cohort with participants from a range of professions, work locations, and backgrounds.
Timeline for 2025-2026 Cohort
- February 15, 2025: Preferred enrollment application window opens
- March 31, 2025: Preferred enrollment application deadline
- April 15, 2025: Open enrollment application window opens
- Application deadline: August 20, 2025
- Scholarship deadline: September 1, 2025
- Cohort Starts September 2025