Objectives:

At the conclusion of this activity, the learner should be able to:

• Identify the similarities and differences between burnout and compassion fatigue.
• Summarize important factors contributing to burn out and compassion fatigue in hospice and palliative medicine.
• Examine the relationship between individualized and systems-based approaches to resilience and preventing burnout in hospice and palliative medicine.
• Develop an individual awareness of how to contribute to personal and team resilience to prevent burnout.

Bio:

I am a practicing physician assistant (PA) in hospice and palliative medicine (HPM) with experience in both community-based and academic medical centers for over six years. I am currently employed at Mayo Clinic in Phoenix, AZ. I attended the University of Florida for my undergraduate studies where I found a passion at the crossroads of health literacy, socioeconomic status, cultural variability, and medical practice in the United States. My interest in the specialty of HPM developed from personal and professional experiences prior to PA school, and was fortunate enough to graduate from PA school at the University of Florida. From there, I moved directly into the HPM specialty as a PA and have remained there ever since. I have immersed myself in leadership and academic opportunities since starting as a PA at the department, institution, state, and national levels. To further supplement my education, I completed a Master’s degree in Palliative Care in 2020 and am starting my doctoral studies in Palliative Care in Fall 2022.