Qualitative evaluation of an Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education-approved online hospice and palliative medicine fellowship program.

PURPOSE: In 2020, the University of Colorado School of Medicine launched the Community Hospice and Palliative Medicine (CHPM) Fellowship, a part-time, innovative, online fellowship for midcareer physicians. The 3- to 4-year specialty training program, which includes completing a master of science in palliative care, was created to address the increasing need for palliative care physicians in communities with underdeveloped hospice and palliative medicine resources. This model enables fellows to remain in their communities and clinical practices while completing training leading to board certification. Guided by the Kirkpatrick Model, this program evaluation examined the fellows' perceptions of the program's effectiveness as a training model.

METHOD: In 2023, 10 CHPM Fellowship graduates from the first 2 cohorts were invited to participate in recorded video interviews. Using a deductive rapid qualitative approach informed by the Kirkpatrick Model, investigators analyzed interview data across 4 levels of educational impact: satisfaction, learning, behavior, and results.

RESULTS

Ten graduates were interviewed. Feedback was relevant to all 4 Kirkpatrick Model levels, including program impacts on system changes, typically a challenging level to document. Four major themes emerged: developing self, being in community, feeling confident and competent, and facing challenges. Subthemes highlighted graduates' perceptions of being a palliative care role model and leader, experiencing personal and professional transformation, establishing supportive relationships, feeling supported by interdisciplinary faculty, and mastering diverse palliative care skills. Participants commented on the program's rigor and offered suggestions for including interdisciplinary faculty members in seminars, increasing business and program leadership content, and increasing administrative support.

CONCLUSIONS

The CHPM Fellowship demonstrates a promising model for addressing the national palliative care workforce shortage by providing accessible, community-based training for midcareer physicians. As more physicians complete the program and are board eligible, continued evaluation will be important to update content, guide programmatic changes, and improve the online model.