Job Description

Palliative Care Physician (MD/DO)

Position Summary

The Palliative Care Physician provides comprehensive, patient- and family-centered care focused on symptom management, psychosocial support, and alignment of medical care with patient goals and values. This role serves patients with serious or life-limiting illness across inpatient and outpatient settings, working collaboratively with interdisciplinary teams to enhance quality of life throughout the continuum of care.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Evaluate and manage patients with serious, chronic, or life-limiting illnesses
• Provide expert symptom management including pain, dyspnea, nausea, fatigue, anxiety, depression, and delirium
• Conduct goals-of-care discussions, advance care planning, and family meetings
• Provide inpatient palliative care consultation and/or outpatient palliative care clinic services
• Collaborate with primary care, hospital medicine, oncology, critical care, and specialty teams
• Support care coordination and transitions across care settings, including hospice referral when appropriate
• Participate in interdisciplinary rounds with nursing, social work, chaplaincy, and case management
• Educate patients, families, and healthcare teams regarding palliative care principles and services
• Maintain accurate and timely clinical documentation
• Participate in quality improvement, patient safety, and outcomes initiatives
• Supervise and educate residents, fellows, advanced practice providers, or trainees as applicable
• Comply with all regulatory, accreditation, and professional standards

Qualifications

• Doctor of Medicine (MD) or Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) from an accredited medical school
• Completion of an accredited residency program (Internal Medicine, Family Medicine, or other primary specialty)
• Completion of an accredited Hospice and Palliative Medicine fellowship
• Board-eligible or board-certified in Hospice and Palliative Medicine
• Ability to obtain and maintain unrestricted state medical licensure
• DEA registration or eligibility

Skills and Competencies

• Expertise in symptom management and complex care planning
• Strong communication skills for goals-of-care and serious illness conversations
• Ability to manage medically and psychosocially complex patients
• Interdisciplinary collaboration and team leadership skills
• Commitment to patient-centered, compassionate, and evidence-based care

Work Environment

• Hospital inpatient units, outpatient palliative care clinics, and community-based settings
• Schedule may include weekday clinical coverage with limited call depending on program structure

Physical Requirements

• Ability to sit, stand, and move throughout clinical environments
• Manual dexterity for examinations and clinical tasks
• Visual and auditory acuity sufficient for patient assessment and communication

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