The Hospice and Palliative Medicine Fellowship at Mayo Clinic’s campus in Rochester, Minnesota, is designed to develop future academic leaders in the field. Our graduates are equipped with outstanding skills in clinical palliative care, research, and medical education. 
 
Each year, we train three fellows through a comprehensive clinical and academic curriculum that fosters world-class expertise in the practice of hospice and palliative care. 
 
Our fellowship emphasizes interdisciplinary, team-based care, offering fellows advanced insight into the various roles essential to delivering high-quality palliative care. 
 
Fellowship graduates are prepared to evaluate and manage patients across the full continuum of hospice and palliative care, from diagnosis through end-of-life. This includes experience in: 

• Inpatient palliative care
• Outpatient palliative care
• Consultative services
• Inpatient hospice
• Home-based hospice 

Unique opportunities you have at Mayo Clinic include:

• A committed core teaching faculty composed of board-certified hospice and palliative medicine physicians who are dedicated to fellows’ growth and professional development
• Outstanding mentorship and research opportunities with national leaders in hospice and palliative care
• An intraprofessional fellowship model where physician fellows train alongside advanced practice clinician (APC) fellows, fostering team-based care and collaborative learning
• An inpatient palliative care unit led by a primary palliative service, offering immersive training in complex symptom management
• A dedicated outpatient palliative care clinic providing comprehensive, longitudinal care to patients with complex needs in a supportive, team-based environment
• Training in basic research skills, quality improvement, and clinical education
• Academic days during each rotation block, providing protected time for study, quality improvement initiatives, research, or self-care
• A focus on developing skills that foster resiliency, supporting a sustainable and fulfilling career in this demanding field

Research opportunities

Fellows with a particular interest in research can complete an optional, unaccredited second year fellowship. During this year, fellows will:

• Focus on a scholarly project under guidance of a mentor
• Complete the Postdoctoral Certificate Program through Mayo Clinic’s Center for Clinical and Translational Science (CCATS) 
• Continue to maintain clinical skills through a weekly half-day clinic

The Hospice and Palliative Medicine Fellowship is a Mayo Clinic School of Graduate Medical Education program within the Mayo Clinic’s Division of Community Internal Medicine, Geriatrics, and Palliative Care.

Accreditation

The Hospice and Palliative Medicine Fellowship is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) and fulfills the requirements for fellowship training in hospice and palliative medicine as outlined by the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) and the ACGME's Residency Review Committee for Internal Medicine.

Certification

After successfully completing the program, fellows are eligible to take the Hospice and Palliative Medicine board exam through the American Board of Medical Specialties.

Program history

The Hospice and Palliative Medicine Fellowship at Mayo Clinic was established in 2007 and accepted its first fellow in 2008. The fellowship now accepts five intraprofessional fellows per year—three physician fellows and two advanced practice clinician fellows.

More from Mayo Clinic School of Graduate Medical Education