Palliative Care Education During COVID-19: The MERI Center for Education in Palliative Care at UCSF/Mt. Zion

Abstract

In the setting of the COVID-19 pandemic as well as the recognition of systemic racism in our institutions, the symptom management, emotional/psychological support and advance care planning at the core of palliative care—once considered “an extra layer of support” —have been revealed as instrumental to individuals, families, communities, and countries facing the threat of the global pandemic. In this article, we outline the primary palliative care education efforts of one palliative care education center (The MERI Center at UCSF/Mt Zion campus) and detail the critical adjustments necessary and opportunities found in the COVID crisis.