Basics in Palliative Care

This course aims to:

• Develop core competencies in palliative care through a structured, blended-learning model tailored for the Indian healthcare context.
• Enable healthcare professionals to deliver compassionate, evidence-based care to patients with life-limiting illnesses.
• Bridge the gap between theoretical understanding and clinical practice by providing experiential learning, guided mentorship and in person Clinical Attachments.

Upon completion of the course, participants will be able to:

1. Explain the principles and scope of palliative care within the Indian healthcare system.
2. Assess and manage physical, psychological, spiritual, and social suffering in patients with life-limiting conditions.
3. Communicate effectively with patients, caregivers, and the interdisciplinary team about illness, care planning, and end-of-life decisions.
4. Integrate ethical and culturally sensitive care into clinical practice.
5. Demonstrate competence in palliative interventions through clinical attachment and case-based discussions.
6. Collaborate efficiently in multidisciplinary teams to deliver coordinated, person-centered care.
7. Demonstrate competencies in different models and settings of Palliative Care

Participants will be equipped to:

• To understand the concept and principles and recognise the benefits of palliative care in the context of serious health-related suffering associated with life-limiting and critical illness.
• To empower doctors to make a holistic, comprehensive assessment of symptoms and distress and manage them using pharmacological and non-pharmacological methods.
• To enhance good communication skills to facilitate sharing difficult diagnosis, and prognosis and making informed decisions across the illness trajectory with patient and family.
• To promote ethical decision-making in handling complex issues and ethical dilemmas.
• To enable to deliver end-of-life care and psychosocial support to patients & families, including bereavement support.
• Integrate palliative care principles into their specialty or primary care practice.
• Apply knowledge and skills acquired during clinical attachment and mentorship in real-world settings.

The program comprises 8 modules delivered over 25 weeks, integrating both online and in-person learning experiences:

• 2-day Orientation Program (on Zoom) to introduce the course framework and learning approach.
• Self-paced online learning through our Learning Management System (LMS), including readings, assignments, and interactive activities.
• Weekly live online sessions (2 sessions of 2 hours each) mentored by module leads, fostering active discussion and collaborative learning.
• 2-week clinical attachment at one of the leading palliative care centers partnered with the Academy of Palliative Medicine (APM).
• 2-day in-person Face-to-Face Session followed by the Exit Examination at Karunashraya, Bangalore Hospice Trust, Marathahalli, Bangalore.

This thoughtfully designed program provides a rich, practice-oriented learning journey, combining flexibility, mentorship, and real-world clinical exposure—equipping participants to deliver compassionate, competent, and evidence-informed palliative care.

• Minimum qualification is MBBS . Professionals across specialties involved in caring for patients with life-limiting illnesses, and not limited to internal medicine, oncology, anesthesia, community medicine, family medicine, paediatrics, nephrology, neurology, geriatrics.
• Primary care providers and rural healthcare practitioners interested in integrating palliative care into their services.

• A minimum of 75% attendance is required for both online and offline components.
• Active participation in discussions, case presentations, and group activities is mandatory.
• Remain active on platform with videos on is mandatory.

• Each module comprises online tests, quizzes, assignments, peer discussions, and a final end of Module Test.
• Final evaluation criteria:

• 20% from formative assessments
• 80% from summative assessments

Certificates of Completion will be awarded only upon:

• Meeting attendance requirements
• Completing all assignments
• Satisfying assessment criteria