Integration of palliative medicine at the Medical College of Wisconsin 1990-1996

Palliative medicine is an emerging world-wide discipline. This article describes efforts at the Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW) to develop programs to enhance palliative medicine education and clinical care. New courses, seminars and clinical programs have been developed. Education and clinical care activities since 1990 have included a required course for second-year medical students, clinical electives for third-and fourth-year medical students, a clinical palliative care consultation service, a palliative care seminar series designed for housestaff; and a nurse preceptorship, program. Palliative medicine activities have included both the academic medical center and community health agencies. MCW has integrated palliative medicine into its academic environment so that trainees at all education levels now have opportunities for didactic and clinical end-of-life care education. (C) U.S. Cancer Pain Relief Committee, 1998.