Fellowship Program

The Washington Health System Hospice and Palliative Medicine Fellowship program is a 12 month Fellowship designed per GME guidelines that is intended to follow the completion of an American Board of Medical Specialties sponsoring primary residency program. This Fellowship is affiliated and sponsored by an established 7–7–7 family medicine residency program. Although this is a new Fellowship, it is built on the foundation of a three decade old hospice program and a decade old palliative service at the sponsoring institution.  The Fellowship is led by physicians who are board certified in palliative medicine. The hospice program is a Medicare certified service with the focal point a Washington Health System owned, eight bed inpatient facility. The palliative program developed in 2007 now includes an active inpatient consultation service, an outpatient clinic and nursing facility/home services. The entire Fellowship can be completed at the sponsoring institution with the exception of a 2 week, ACGME-required rotation at Children’s Hospital in Pittsburgh to assure pediatric experience. Additional elective rotations are available in oncology, pain management and cardiovascular medicine. There is a mandatory scholarly activity project which can be chosen from a number of ACGME approved options including Grant proposals, manuscripts for publication, CQI/clinical research projects or regional didactic lectures. The Fellow is also considered a junior faculty member assisting in the training of family medicine residents and students in the concepts of hospice and palliative medicine. This responsibility will include clinical supervision and didactic educational experiences. Specific didactics and an evidence-based journal club will be held weekly. Although this Fellowship has one offered position, the Washington Health System will also be sponsoring a one position geriatric Fellowship beginning in 2018. Shared didactics, educational experiences and coverage responsibilities will be possible with these “sister” fellowships. To view the Hospice and Palliative Fellowship Rotation schedule click here

The Washington Health System has been approved to offer a one position fellowship in geriatric medicine.  This program will be administered by three dynamic board certified geriatricians.  Extensive clinical experience is centered at a large geriatrics center which provides a full scope of care from independent living to skilled nursing care.  Participation with the family medicine residency will mirror that described in the palliative medicine fellowship.  The palliative and geriatric fellows will share certain educational experiences and provide some cross coverage for each other. To view the Geriatric Fellowship Rotation schedule click here

You’ve probably heard about our “too-good-to-be true” housing that has been provided to our residents since we started the program. This has proven to add to the community atmosphere that residents and their families have enjoyed for years, and allows us to provide an environment that is truly conducive to learning. As you can see, these are houses, not dorms; they’re pleasant, well-maintained dwellings that allow a resident to be free of the duties associated with home ownership (Yes, we even shovel the snow!).

Whether you are seeking an opportunity to actively participate or passively sit back and watch, there’s plenty to do and see in Washington, PA and the surrounding areas. Like sports? Washington is home to the Pony League World Series. If amateur sports aren’t your thing, we have a couple professional teams nearby you may have heard of! If you’re a fan of the arts, you’ll be pleased to know that Washington is home to its own symphony. (Not to mention the Pittsburgh Symphony is only 20 miles away). There are museums showcasing everything from natural history to cartoons, which you can easily spend the day exploring. For family fun, visit the zoo or one of the area’s amusement parks. Southwestern PA is one of the nicest places to live. The weather changes each season, and we have abundant outdoor activities and many cultural attractions. Whether you are on your own and want to explore or want to spend time with your family or others, we have something you will enjoy. Take a look at our short list of offerings here and don’t forget to check out area tourism websites for more ideas. Sports Teams Washington is home to the Pony League World Series. It also has its own Frontier League baseball team, the Washington Wild Things. Prefer the pros? There are many professional sports teams in the area, including the Pittsburgh Steelers, Pirates and Penguins. Outdoor Activities Walk, run, hike or bike on the Montour Trail, which connects the area to Washington, D.C. Local parks offer plenty of outdoor activities to choose from like tennis and canoeing. Check out Washington Park, Mingo Creek Park, and Raccoon State Park to name a few. If you like to golf, many courses surround Washington including Nemacolin Woodlands Resort (which has two courses) The Links and Mystic Rock (which was designed by the legendary Pete Dye). There are also courses nearby at Seven Springs Resort, Indian Run Golf Course, Village Green Golf Course, as well as The Washington Country Club and Lone Pine Country Club. Washington is a short drive to Blackwater Falls, West Virginia, as well as the Cheat River Gorge in West Virginia, both offering scenic overlooks. Rivermen Whitewater is also in nearby West Virginia if you enjoy whitewater rafting. If you enjoy skiing, Snowshoe Resort and Seven Springs Resort are nearby. Seven Springs Resort also offers snow tubing in the winter and is host to several festivals throughout the year including a two day wine festival. You can also enjoy the Trillium Spa while at Seven Springs. In the summer, they offer tennis, hiking, biking and many other outdoor activities. Amusement Parks Washington is near several amusement parks for kids of all ages.  Nearby parks include Kennywood, Idlewild and Sandcastle Water Park. Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio is a short drive. Attractions Washington has plenty of attractions to capture your attention. Tanger Outlets Washington is minutes away and features over 80 brand name manufacturer and designer outlet stores. The Meadows Racetrack and Casino is also located in Washington and includes premier restaurants with spectacular views of the gaming floor and racetrack. Celebrations Pittsburgh offers the annual Regatta in the summer as well as First Night Celebration on New Year’s Eve. There are annual festivals around Washington County including the Houston Pumpkin Festival, the Hickory Apple Festival, the Covered Bridge Festival, and Pike Days. Museums There are many museums to visit including the Carnegie Science Center, the Carnegie Museum, the Andy Warhol Museum, Toonseum, the Heinz History Center, Meadowcroft Village, and Fallingwater. More information about all the area offers can be found at the Washington Country Tourism website, visitwashingtoncountypa.com and at the Pittsburgh Tourism website, visitpittsburgh.com.