OSUMC PSYCHO-ONCOLOGY & PALLIATIVE MEDICINE FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM

The primary goal of the Psycho-Oncology and Palliative Medicine Fellowship Program is to prepare future clinical psychologists for research, education, and clinical practice in providing transdiciplinary care for patients with chronic or life-limiting illness. The focus of this training program is the development of specialized assessment and intervention skills important to the care of palliative medicine and psycho-oncology patients and families, with additional coursework essential to the development of the fellows’ research program. Specialization in palliative medicine will create a new generation of psychologists with competency in symptom management and end-of-life care.

Fellows receive a diverse array of clinical experiences as part of a busy inpatient palliative medicine consultation service (15-40 daily census) and a large, interdisciplinary outpatient palliative care program (800-1,000 outpatients). Many of these patients and their family members experience depression and anxiety as part of their advanced disease experience. The majority of these families are also experiencing psychosocial distress and anticipatory grief associated with their illness. Fellows will have the opportunity to work with patients with cancer, congestive heart failure, HIV, sickle cell disease, etc. and their family members during one of the most stressful periods of their lives. Fellows will also have the opportunity to complete rotations in pediatric oncology, grief counseling, consultation-liaison, and hospice as well as other elective rotations.

Research training is also an important component of this fellowship. Fellows are provided assistance with developing dissertation-based manuscripts and are actively engaged in the Palliative & Psychosocial Care Research Program. Fellows may also engage in research with oncologists at the Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital. They are active participants in the Center for Palliative Care Journal Club and research team meetings and are expected to complete at least two manuscripts per year and are provided assistance with the grant application process.

Program Director

Sharla Wells-Di Gregorio, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, Psychology & Internal Medicine
Director, Palliative & Psychosocial Care Research Program
Director, Division of Health Psychology
246 Atwell Hall, 453 West 10th Avenue
Columbus, Ohio 43210
e-mail: Sharla.wells@osumc.edu

Fellowship Coordinator

Rebecca Woodgeard
The OSU Center for Palliative Care
246 Atwell Hall, 453 West 10th Avenue
Columbus, Ohio 43210
e-mail: Rebecca.woodgeard@osumc.edu