Education and Training
Applications invited for the IAPC’s ‘Foundation Course in Palliative Care Pharmacy’
Applications are invited for the 8th online batch of the IAPC’s ‘Foundation Course in Palliative Care Pharmacy’, scheduled to be held on Saturday, 27th September, 2025.
This is a basic course which aims to equip participants with adequate knowledge of commonly used drugs in Palliative Care for pain management and to manage other symptoms. The course will also cover Essential Narcotic Drugs and Narcotic Drugs, along with the technical legalities to procure, store, dispense and document the same.
The 7-hour course will be delivered in two parts; a virtual 4.5-hour Part A module and an in-person 2.5-hour Part B module.
While the course is primarily designed for candidates with a Diploma or a Degree in Pharmacy, Doctors (MBBS, BDS) are also eligible to participate in the course.
Please click here for further information and to register for the course.
APM launches the Essentials of Geriatric Palliative Care (EGPC) – Maiden Cohort on 2nd August, 2025
The Academy of Palliative Medicine (APM) is pleased to announce the introduction of an important new course, Essentials of Geriatric Palliative Care (EGPC), with the inaugural cohort commencing on 2nd August 2025.
Offered in collaboration with the Indian Academy of Geriatrics (IAG), this course has already garnered an impressive response, attracting 52 participants from across India and overseas. The diverse cohort represents a wide spectrum of clinical settings and healthcare backgrounds, underscoring the relevance and growing demand for structured education at the intersection of Geriatric and Palliative Care.
The course curriculum has been carefully designed and is being delivered by exceptional team of faculty comprising seasoned experts and emerging leaders from both specialties. This dynamic blend of experience and innovation reflects APMs commitment to fostering high-quality, evidence-based learning while addressing the unique needs of an ageing population.
Through this program, APM and IAG aim to empower healthcare professionals with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes essential for providing compassionate, patient-centred care to older adults with serious illnesses, thereby advancing the standards of integrated geriatric and palliative care in India and beyond.
APM Launches 3rd Cohort of Advanced Nursing Skills in Palliative Care (ANSPC) on 5th August, 2025
This specialised course has drawn 32 enthusiastic participants from across India, representing different clinical settings and healthcare institutions. Their participation reflects a shared commitment to advancing the quality of palliative nursing care and strengthening the role of nurses as pivotal members of the multidisciplinary care team.
Designed to enhance both clinical competence and compassionate practice, the ANSPC curriculum is delivered by experienced team of faculty of palliative care nursing specialists and allied professionals. The program provides participants with in-depth training in advanced symptom management, communication skills, ethical decision-making, and the integration of holistic care principles into everyday practice.
Through this initiative, APM reaffirms its dedication to empowering nurses with the expertise, confidence, and leadership skills necessary to make a meaningful difference in the lives of patients and families facing serious illness.
Institute of Palliative Medicine invites applications for the Bruce Davis Gold Medal Examination 2025
Registrations are now open for the Bruce Davis Gold Medal Examination 2025, for young doctors from India. This prestigious national-level program aims to encourage young doctors in India to develop knowledge and skills in Palliative Medicine.
The Burce Davis Gold examination will be conducted in 3 steps:
Step 1: Online screening test with 100 MCQs is open now. Submit your answers by 5 p.m. on Saturday, 20th September, 2025.
Step 2: Online viva for top 10 candidates (October 2025).
Step 3: Final examination at IPM, Kozhikode (November 2025).
Award: The winner will receive the Bruce Davis Gold Medal in Palliative Medicine, a Citation, and Rs. 20,000/- award prize at IAPCON 2026, Hyderabad.
Apply here: https://forms.gle/aVwQTzHnGjaVFdat8
Delhi State Chapter of IAPC Organised 13th CME on 23rd August, 2025
The Delhi State Chapter of the Indian Association of Palliative Care (Delhi-IAPC), in association with the Society for Research and Education in Onco-Anaesthesia and Palliative Medicine (SREOAPM) and the Department of Onco-Anaesthesia & Palliative Medicine, Dr. BRAIRCH & NCI, AIIMS New Delhi, successfully organized its 13th Continuing Medical Education (CME) program on “Essential Narcotic Drugs (ENDs): From Policy to Patient Care” at the Ramalingaswami Board Room, AIIMS, New Delhi.
The CME was inaugurated with a welcome note by Prof. Seema Mishra (Chairperson, IAPC’s Delhi-IAPC) followed by special addresses by Dr. Sushma Bhatnagar (Past President IAPC), Dr. Sunil Kumar (Professor and Head, Surgical Oncology, IRCH, AIIMS) and Dr Sachidanand jee Bharti (Professor and Honorary secretary Delhi-IAPC). The inaugural session featured lamp lighting and Saraswati Vandana, setting a solemn tone for the day’s deliberations.
The scientific sessions covered a wide spectrum, beginning with Dr. Bimla Sharma speaking on pain management with ENDs, followed by Dr. Puneet Rathore on pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, and Dr. Deepa Khurana on managing side effects. A key highlight was the session on Regulatory Framework and Compliance, where Deputy Drug Controller of Delhi Government Mr. K.R. Chawla, alongside senior clinicians, emphasized the provisions of the NDPS Act and the regulatory aspects of morphine preparation and usage. This was followed by practical insights into procurement, storage, and inventory control of ENDs, underscoring the importance of safe handling and compliance.
A panel discussion, moderated by Dr. Seema Mishra was also held on “Opioids in India: From Policy to Patient Care.” A diverse panel of experts, including oncologists, palliative care specialists, pharmacists, and policymakers, deliberated on challenges and solutions in ensuring safe and effective opioid availability for patients in need.
The CME also featured interactive sessions on opioid prescription practices by Dr. Brajesh Ratre, Dr. Balbir Kumar, Dr. Bhanu Pratap Maurya, Dr. Khushboo Mandal, Dr. Shweta Bhopale, and Dr. Ruparna Khurana, followed by a quiz coordinated by Dr. Saurabh Vig, Dr. Raghav Gupta, and Dr. Prateek Maurya.
The CME concluded with closing remarks and feedback by Dr. Sachidanand Jee Bharati, highlighting the collective resolve to improve pain management through judicious use of essential narcotic drugs. With participation from leading clinicians, policymakers, and researchers, the CME reinforced the critical importance of ENDs in ensuring effective pain management for patients with cancer and other chronic illnesses in India.
“Good to Go”: India’s First Death Literacy Festival Marks a Successful Debut in Bangalore, 23rd – 24th August, 2025
Pallium India and Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy jointly organised India’s first Death Literacy Festival – “Good to Go” on 23rd and 24th August, 2025 at the Bangalore International Centre. This one-of-a-kind event aimed to normalise conversations with people of all ages, on critical issues like appropriate end-of-life care, advance care planning (‘Living will’ related to the Supreme Court’s verdict on “dying with dignity”, asset management, digital death, organ donation), shared decision-making, accessing palliative care, death, bereavement and grief.
On Day 1, the event saw the presence of Shri Dinesh Gundu Rao (the Hon’ble Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Government of Karnataka). The Advance Care Planning Collective – India, a group formed by physicians, palliative care experts, public health specialists and legal practitioners, was launched during the meet. This group was convened to ensure that people become more informed about all matters pertaining to better care in serious illness, with a focus on advance care planning. This launch gave way to the introduction of an “advance care planning toolkit”, which includes a sample advance medical directive (AMD), an FAQ document, a ready reckoner, and planning resources.
The inaugural panel titled “What does Dying in India look like and what needs to change” had Dr. Rajani Bhat (Sparsh Hospital), Hardik Dua (Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy), Sweety Thomas (Ajit Isaac Foundation), Dr. Roop Gursahani (PD Hinduja Hospital), and Darius Sunawala (Theatre artist and caregiver), and was moderated by Smriti Rana (Pallium India).
Day 2 comprised two technical workshops, where one focused on writing an AMD, and the other was split between information on organ donation and digital afterlife.
The program also included a gallery space that featured unique rituals from different parts of India and works of the renowned medical cartoonist Nathan Gray. In the foyer, there were multiple stalls of bookstores like Champaca, Lightroom, and Funky Rainbow, along with several stalls by palliative care providers from Karnataka. Performances by Bindhu Malini and Parting with Words concluded the two-day festival.
Workshop on “Breaking Bad News” at Bagchi Shankara Cancer Hospital and Research Centre, Bhubaneswar – 20th August, 2025
A communication workshop on “Breaking Bad News” was organised on 20th August, 2025, at the Bagchi Shankara Cancer Hospital and Research Centre, Bhubaneswar. About 30 doctors from various specialties participated in this interactive two-hour session.
The workshop was facilitated by Dr. Nagesh Simha (Medical Director, BHT–Karunashraya, Bengaluru & Bagchi Karunashraya Palliative Care Centre, Bhubaneswar) and aimed to address the communication challenges that healthcare professionals commonly face in their day-to-day practice. The primary focus was on breaking bad news using the SPIKES protocol, which generated active participation and meaningful discussions.
Other key issues such as collusion and denial were also touched upon, with plans to explore these in greater depth in future workshops.
The workshop was well received, with participants finding it practical, insightful, and engaging, and expressing a strong interest in having more such short, focused sessions.
Over 150 Join the Palliative Care CTC Program and National Alumni Meet, Delhi, 25th–28th August 2025
Over 150 Doctors and Nurses from across India participated in a Palliative Care Cancer Treatment Centres Program (CTC) and their first ever National Alumni Meet, held at Taj Vivanta Dwarka, New Delhi, between Monday, 25th August, 2025, and Thursday, 28th August, 2025.
The CTC program, is a collaborative program between, the Asia Pacific Hospice Palliative Care Network (APHN), the Lien Collaborative for Palliative Care and the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi. The program aims to develop and strengthen palliative care services across India and also facilitate the implementation of India’s National Program for Palliative Care (NPPC) which mandates the availability of palliative care services in institutions dealing with cancer and non-communicable diseases.
Till date, over 187 healthcare professionals from 46 centers have been trained in palliative care and certified by the CTC program. The trainees are ably guided by a dedicated team of 18 master trainers and mentors who are expert palliative care physicians and nurses from India, supported by international faculty from Asia Pacific countries.
The program’s impact has been beyond its anticipated scope as empowered participants moved to serve other healthcare institutions and began to establish or strengthen palliative care services within their new settings. Several of them are also successful in integrating palliative care services within their State’s Public Health System by making services available in remote and underserved regions of India—ranging from isolated tribal belts (Arunachal Pradesh) and mountainous valleys (Jammu and Kashmir) to far-flung rural districts (Rajasthan, Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, etc.).
The recently held event included a three-day in-person foundation course of the 7th Cohort of 52 trainees from 13 centers from across the country, i.e from Nagaland to Rajasthan to Madurai to Chandigarh. The first-ever CTC Alumni Meet, themed ‘Advancing Palliative Care Capacity in India: Building Networks for a Sustainable Future’ was held on the last day to bring together more than 140 healthcare professionals from across the country to allow for the exchange of success stories, knowledge and wisdom across cohorts.
The successful event was inaugurated by Dr Alok Mathur (Deputy Directorate General of Health Services, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, New Delhi), Dr SVS Deo (Lead, Oncology, Head, Surgical Oncology, Indraprastha Apollo Hospital, New Delhi), Lt Gen (Dr) Bipin Puri (Director of Medical Services, Indraprastha Apollo Hospital, New Delhi), Dr Ghauri (Chair, APHN), Dr Sushma Bhatnagar (Lead, CTC India), Dr Shirlynn (Co lead, CTC program) and Mr Giam Cheong Leong (Executive Director, APHN).
The event was coordinated by Ms Archana Ganesh, Mr Cheng Tah Nern, and Ms Sarita Kumari.
Cynthia Goh Palliative Care Fellowship: Application Deadline Extended to 30th September, 2025
Applications for Batch 2 of fellows for the Cynthia Goh Palliative Care Fellowship (Doctors only) 2025 has been EXTENDED to 30 September 2025.
The Cynthia Goh Palliative Care Fellowship offers an opportunity to work towards making palliative care accessible to all who need it in the Asia-Pacific region. Honouring the legacy of Professor Cynthia Goh, a trailblazer in Singapore’s palliative care movement, this fellowship is designed to nurture leaders who will shape the future of palliative care in the region.
Why Apply?
- Gain specialized training and mentorship from experts.
- Join a network of changemakers across the Asia-Pacific region.
- Lead initiatives that make a real difference in patients’ lives.
Find out more and apply today: https://
Applications are Open for the Global Fellowship in Palliative Medicine, Application Deadline: 19th November, 2025
Pallium India, in collaboration and Trivandrum Institute of Palliative Sciences (TIPS), invites applications for the Global Fellowship in Palliative Medicine (GFPM) — a prestigious 1-year hybrid course designed for healthcare professionals seeking to advance their expertise in holistic palliative care.
Course Highlights
- Expert-led teaching with hands-on training
- Focus on empowering healthcare professionals to deliver comprehensive, compassionate palliative care
Eligibility & Fees
- Eligibility: MBBS / BDS
- Fee: Rs. 50,000 (Indian candidates) | $1200 (Overseas candidates)
For registration, contact: globalfellowship
For details : https://
Update from the APM’s lecture series 3
Report on activities in August 2025
The Academy of Palliative Medicine continued its successful Online Lecture Series 3 through August 2025, with weekly sessions held every Monday from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 a.m. These sessions provided participants with valuable opportunities for continuous professional development and peer learning in palliative care.
Each lecture was presented by postgraduate students in palliative medicine and moderated by senior faculty members.
- On 4th August, 2025, Dr. Sharun Mathew John delivered a lecture on “Evidence on the role of Point of Care Ultrasound (POCUS) in a palliative care setting,” moderated by Dr. Praneeth Suvvari
- On 11th August, 2025, Shivangi Sharma presented on “Evidence on the concept of Time Toxicity during management of patients needing palliative care,” moderated by Dr. Nipun Lamba.
- On 18th August, 2025, Dr. Dipendra Kaur spoke on “Evidence on the role of Ketamine in management of depression in a palliative care setting,” moderated by Dr. Yogendra Singhal.
- On 25th August, 2025, Dr. Divya Sai presented on “Evidence on the role of Dexmedetomidine for hyperactive delirium at the end of life,” moderated by Dr. Gayatri Palat.
The sessions were well appreciated by attendees for their clinical relevance, clarity, and structured evidence-based approach.
Sessions planned for September 2025
We invite you to join us for the lectures scheduled for September 2025, from the APM’s online Lecture Series 3. Details as follows.
