Building an Undergraduate Curriculum in Palliative Care 

Our vision is to influence the next generation to build a humanistic approach to their professions with an early understanding of palliative care from a number of perspectives, including those of people living with a serious illness and their families. We seek to advance the field of palliative care by exposing undergraduate students who plan to enter a variety of professions to the core concepts of this area of study and service.  

Funded by the Arthur Vining Davis Foundation, our project began at Emory University in 2019 and now encompasses 10 partner universities across the country. The project brings together palliative clinicians and researchers with undergraduate educators in a broad range of disciplines – sociology, ethics, classics, history, philosophy, and beyond. Through guest lectures, seminar courses, campus events and other activities, faculty and students work together to broaden undergraduates’ exposure and perspectives on complex issues such as grief, loss, suffering, and dying.