Category: Spotlight

Why did you decide to work in palliative care? I first became interested in palliative care after working at a nursing home in college – I felt like the current medical system wasn’t supporting people as they were navigating serious illness. While in medical training, this became even more relevant,...

Why did you decide to work in palliative care? As a kid, I always liked to ask big questions. “What ifs?” I lost several people in my life and realized those big questions were really about uncertainty and one day dying. I started volunteering in hospice during college and medical...

Why did you decide to work in palliative care? It is a dream come true to be joining UNC’s Palliative Care team this summer as a clinical social worker. My background in providing counseling to adults, couples and families working through difficult transitions and losses, combined with having supported patients...

Why did you decide to work in palliative care? Palliative care allows me to care for patients the way I have always wanted to – by advocating for the patient and ensuring their values remain at the focal point of all care decisions. I count it an immense privilege to...

Why did you decide to work in palliative care? I chose to work in palliative are because this area of practice felt like a natural extension of my background in nursing and allows me to stay true to my value of providing care that focuses on the person first and the...

Q & A with Elisabeth Dellon, MD, MPH – Medical Director Children’s Supportive Care Team Why did you decide to work in palliative care? I went to medical school because I loved science and hoped to help advance science in ways to improve health care. I quickly learned that I...

Q & A with Laura C. Hanson – UNC Palliative Care Program Medical Director Why did you decide to work in palliative care? After training in Internal Medicine and Geriatric Medicine, it was clear to me that I was drawn to “whole person” medicine for people facing serious illness.  Caring...

Q & A with Lily Gillmor – Transitions LifeCare Associate VP of Palliative Care & Kids Why did you decide to work in palliative care? My first job out of nursing school was in inpatient pediatrics, prior to hospitals having pediatric palliative care teams.  I was assigned as primary nurse...

Q&A with Joshua Dowd, MD Why did you decide to work in palliative care? When I was in my last year of med school, I thought that I wanted to be an oncologist.  I opted to do an elective in palliative care because I thought that knowing about that side...

Q&A with Jared Lowe, MD Why did you decide to work in palliative care? I was initially drawn to palliative care during my intern year working with palliative care physicians rounding on an inpatient oncology unit. They were excellent role models, who used their specialized training in symptom management and...