A fellowship program for physicians who are interested in becoming board certified in Hospice and Palliative Medicine
The Hospice & Palliative Medicine (HPM) Fellowship Program provides exemplary multidisciplinary clinical care to seriously ill patients across the continuum of care, delivers effective educational programs and promotes the well-being of providers, patients, families and communities.
The overall goals and objectives for HPM fellows are to gain experience in the diagnosis and management of adult and pediatric patients with serious and/or life limiting medical conditions across a variety of health care settings. HPM fellows exist as part of multidisciplinary care teams assembled to meet the unique medical, spiritual, and emotional quality of life wishes of the patient, providing continuity of care along the serious illness trajectory. Fellows will be a valuable member of the patient's diverse care team which also includes social workers, chaplains, child life specialists, advanced practice providers and specialists from a variety of medical specialties.
The Hospice and Palliative Care Fellowship gained ACGME Accreditation in 2020, enrolling the first fellows the following year. Fellows who successfully complete the program will be board certification eligible.
As the largest not-for-profit health care system in Texas and one of the largest in the United States, Baylor Scott & White serves 41 counties through 52 hospitals, more than 1,200 access points, more than 7,100 active physicians, more than 52,000 team members and the Baylor Scott & White Health Plan.
Curriculum
About the program
The Supportive & Palliative Care team at Scott & White Medical Center- Temple supports a multidisciplinary team in both the inpatient and outpatient settings. The inpatient team works as part of a consultative service. The average number of patients seen by the SPC consult team is about 115 per month, and consults are received from a wide variety of medical specialties caring for hospitalized patients.
Our team is integrated into the care of advanced heart failure patients being evaluated for surgical advanced heart failure therapies and we collaborate closely with all intensive care teams. Fellows will round with board-certified/board-eligible, fellowship trained palliative medicine faculty during their training and have opportunities to learn alongside residents and fellows rotating with the team.
The outpatient program supports a co-located clinic in the Vasicek Cancer Center and an embedded clinic within the Advanced Heart Failure Clinic. On average, fellows will participate in 4 clinic sessions (1 clinic session = 4 hours) each week during their 2-week ambulatory blocks.
The multidisciplinary team supporting both the inpatient team and clinic team includes chaplain, licensed clinical social worker, child life specialist.
Fellows pediatric palliative care experience is longitudinal. Pediatric education is primarily focused on perinatal palliative care consults and infants admitted to the neonatal ICU.
Fellows will spend 4 weeks rotating at a long-term care facility and collaborate with faculty from the Division of Geriatrics.
Fellows will have a 2-week immersion experience with Baylor Scott & White Hospice and then spend 2 days during each outpatient block with BSWH Hospice as a longitudinal experience managing hospice patients, including home visits, and attending IDT meetings under the supervision of the hospice medical director team.
Rotations
Fellows have 27, two-week rotations that alternate between inpatient and outpatient experiences.
Training requirements fulfill the ACGME standards as found in section IV.C of the Hospice and Palliative Common Program Requirements.
- Inpatient = 4 months
- Hospice = 10 weeks
- Geriatrics = 4 weeks
- Pediatrics = Longitudinal
- Outpatient = 9 weeks
Conferences and didactics
Fellows will have protected educational time on Tuesday and Thursday to attend the noon didactic lecture that will include lectures, journal clubs and board review sessions.
Workshops cover the following five domains:
- Communication Skills
- Essentials of Practice/Leadership
- Quality Improvement/Research
- Self-Care
- Ethics
Training locations
Baylor Scott & White Medical Center in Temple, Texas is the primary clinical location for the fellowship. Other locations include Advanced Heart Failure Clinic, Vasicek Cancer Center, Baylor Scott & White Hospice.
Baylor Scott & White Health Hospice cares for about 185 patients and their families in the Central Texas area with a service area spanning 21 counties.
How to apply
We use the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS) to electronically accept fellowship applications, letters of recommendations, dean’s letters, transcripts and other credentials directly from your medical school.
Application requirements
Candidates must have completed an ACGME accredited graduate medical education program in any of boards offering certification in palliative care, including:
- Internal medicine
- Anesthesiology
- Emergency medicine
- Family medicine
- Pediatrics
- Obstetrics and Gynecology
- Physical medicine and rehabilitation
- Psychiatry
- Neurology
- Radiology
- Surgery
In order to be considered for the program, applicants must submit the following materials in ERAS:
- Curriculum vitae (CV)
- Personal statement
- Three letters of recommendation
Exceptional international candidates will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
The deadline for applications is August 31, 2025.
Interviews
Interviews are conducted in September and October on a virtual platform.
Learn more about Baylor Scott & White's housestaff appointment eligibility, including guidelines for international medical graduates.
Faculty and fellows
Our dedicated faculty, with diverse expertise and a passion for teaching, offers invaluable mentorship and our talented fellows bring enthusiasm and fresh perspectives to patient care. Together, they create a supportive community committed to excellence in medical education and compassionate care.
Join us in shaping the future of healthcare!
Working at Baylor Scott & White Health
Stipend and benefits
In addition to competitive stipends, we offer our residents a full menu of employee benefits. We help offset the cost of many of these benefits; others are options you can choose to pay for yourself.
Well-being resources
This time in your professional career can be extremely challenging. As a Baylor Scott & White graduate medical trainee, there are a variety of resources available to you, ensuring you get the most out of your educational experience.
Life in Temple
Temple uniquely offers a combination of access to big-city conveniences while maintaining a small-town atmosphere.
Contact us
Aida Munoz-Murphy
Program Administrator
Phone: 254.724.6574
Email: Aida.MunozMurphy@BSWHealth.org
Baylor Scott & White Medical Center - Temple
2401 S. 31st St.
Temple, TX 76508