The University of Maryland School of Pharmacy has been a national leader in palliative care education since 2017, when it launched its innovative, popular, and online Graduate Certificate and Master of Science in Palliative Care programs. The next logical step in this educational evolution? A PhD.
“Our palliative care programs were a hit right out of the gate. The Master of Science program is amazing, and many students didn’t want the journey to stop,” said executive program director Mary Lynn McPherson, PharmD, MA, MDE, BCPS. “There are only three or four PhD programs in palliative care in the world, and I strongly felt it was time to have one in the United States. I believe this program meets a pressing need in the palliative care field.”
The three programs teach primary, secondary, and tertiary skills, respectively, in palliative care, which addresses the physical, psychological, social, and spiritual needs of patients living with a serious or advanced illness and their families. The PhD program, which launched in August 2021, is for tertiary care providers who are in academia, do research, or work for foundations or large academic medical centers.
“There is a growing number of people suffering from chronic, progressive, and ultimately fatal disease,” said McPherson, who’s also a professor and director of Advanced Post-Graduate Education in Palliative Care in the Department of Pharmacy Practice and Science at the School of Pharmacy. “Their need for excellent palliative care is imperative. To educate and empower a growing palliative care workforce, individuals with the skills to provide excellent instructional design, comprehensive curricula, and vibrant research are critically needed. This PhD program is the first in the U.S. to establish those individuals. It’s a really big deal.”
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