Major Palliative Social Work Fellowships

• NYU Silver School of Social Work: While this is a Post-Master’s Certificate Program rather than a traditional fellowship, the Zelda Foster Studies Program in Palliative and End-of-Life Care is a well-known program that provides advanced training and mentorship for social workers.
• Fordham University Graduate School of Social Service: This institution offers a Palliative Care Fellowship for its Master of Social Work (MSW) students in their specialized year. While not strictly a post-graduate program, it’s a significant training pathway into the field.

• Harvard Interprofessional Palliative Care Fellowship Program: This program, affiliated with institutions like Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, offers a social work fellowship as part of its interprofessional training. It is a highly competitive and respected program.

• Veterans Affairs (VA) Healthcare System: The VA has a number of interprofessional palliative care fellowships across the country that include a social work fellow. These programs provide excellent training in a robust, integrated healthcare system. Notable locations with such programs include:

  • VA Palo Alto Health Care System

  • VA Portland Health Care System

  • James J. Peters VA Medical Center in the Bronx, NY

• MedStar Washington Hospital Center: This program in Washington, D.C., offers a one-year interprofessional fellowship that includes a social work fellow. The program has a strong focus on clinical ethics, providing a unique training experience.

• Texas Children’s Hospital: This program offers a one-year, full-time social work fellowship as part of its interdisciplinary Palliative Care Team. The program is generously funded and focuses on providing specialized palliative care to seriously ill children and their families.

• Albert Einstein College of Medicine: The Palliative Care Social Work Fellowship is a one-year, full-time position that aims to train specialty-prepared palliative care social workers to serve in underserved communities and become future leaders in the field.