University of Maryland bolstering palliative care workforce via master’s degree, certification program

University of Maryland bolstering palliative care workforce via master’s degree, certification program 
Hospice News; by Molly Bookner; 10/7/24 
The University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) School of Pharmacy is seeking to address the dearth of palliative care-trained clinicians and improve care among seriously ill patients. By 2060, the demand for palliative care is expected to nearly double, according to the World Health Organization. Yet, despite this need, significant gaps in training remain, with many professionals lacking exposure to hospice or palliative care during their schooling. UMB seeks to bolster the palliative care workforce through its online Graduate Studies in Palliative Care program, launched in 2017. While most palliative care clinical education programs see small cohorts of five or fewer students, UMB is seeing a larger crowd of professionals enter the workforce. Of the Class of 2024, 36 students received their Master of Science degree and seven received a graduate certificate. “We have an amazing diversity of students,” Mary Lynn McPherson, professor in the Department of Practice, Sciences, and Health Outcomes Research at the School of Pharmacy and executive program director of Graduate Studies in Palliative Care, told Palliative Care News.