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ForwardUpdates in Palliative Care 2026
This course offers Live (in-person) and Livestream (virtual) attendance options
Course Directors: Frank (Andy) A. Bock, D.O., Molly A. Feely, M.D., Jacob J. Strand, M.D., Christopher A. Collura, M.D., and Emily A. Olson, APRN, C.N.P., M.S.N.
April 29 - May 2, 2026 - The Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay - Half Moon Bay, California
Important Update
Please note that an error occurred in the printed brochure.
- General Session Course Dates: April 30 – May 2, 2026
- Palliative Care Optional Workshop: April 29, 2026
Mayo Clinic's Updates in Palliative Care is a multidisciplinary CME course designed to build and enhance your palliative care knowledge. Experts from Mayo Clinic provide clinically relevant pearls for palliative care providers and clinicians from primary care, hematology/oncology, hospital medicine, critical care, pediatrics, and related specialties. If you care for patients with serious illness and are looking to broaden your skills beyond the basics, this is the course for you.
Call for Abstracts – Updates in Palliative Care 2026
We’re now accepting abstracts. Share your work and contribute to advancing palliative care. Abstracts (300 words or less) may cover clinical or laboratory-based projects; see topics of interest for additional information. Original abstracts, whether previously presented or new, are welcome. Published abstracts should be modified. Create a profile, complete the abstract form, and join us at Half Moon Bay, CA at the Ritz-Carlton.
| Optional Workshops - Live (in-person) only | |
|---|---|
| ABFM Knowledge Self-Assessment (KSA): Palliative Care 2026 | $200 |
| Hospice Intensive Workshop: Providing Palliative Acupressure and Reiki 2026 | $250 |
| BUPRENORPHINE IN PALLIATIVE CARE 2026 | $250 |
| Pediatric Palliative Cases (Pre-Course Session Day) April 29, 2026 | $395 |
Target Audience
Targeted clinician specialties (MD, NP, PA-C) including clinicians from general internal medicine, family medicine, hospital medicine, oncology, hospice and palliative care, critical care, geriatrics, nephrology and cardiology.
Learning Objectives
At the conclusion of this workshop, participants who fully engage in all activities will be able to:
- Discuss examples of the prognosis of patients experiencing serious life-limiting illness.
- Review new pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic management options available to palliate common symptoms associated with serious life-limiting illness.
- Mitigate psychosocial suffering and facilitate adaptive coping strategies associated with serious life-limiting illness through collaboration with an interdisciplinary team.
- Summarize risk factors associated with decreased or insufficient goal concordant care at end of life.
- Identify demographic, psychosocial, and racial factors that are associated with decreased access to effective hospice and palliative care and value a collaborative model of care that provides patients with optimal serious illness care.
Attendance at any Mayo Clinic course does not indicate or guarantee competence or proficiency in the skills, knowledge or performance of any care or procedure(s) which may be discussed or taught in this course.
Mayo Clinic Updates in Palliative Care 2026 – Pediatric Pre-Conference | |
Wednesday, April 29th, 2026 | |
6:30 a.m. | Registration and Breakfast |
| 7:30 a.m. | Welcome & Introductions The Ritz-Carlton Ballroom Christopher A. Collura, M.D., MA |
7:45 a.m. | Methadone Use in Children with Serious Illness |
8:15 a.m. | Cases in Refractory Symptom Management |
| Breaking News: Highlighting the Newest Evidence and Guidelines in Pediatric Pain and Symptom Management |
| Buprenorphine as an Emerging Treatment for Pediatric Pain in Complex Illness |
9:45 a.m. | Break |
10:15a.m. | Truth, Trust, and Timing: Serious Illness Disclosure in Pediatric Patients with Cancer |
10:45 a.m. | Certain Uncertainty: How Advancements in Genome Testing is Creating Prognostic Uncertainty in the Care of Children with Serious Genetic Illness |
11:15 a.m. | Racial and Ethnic Disparities in the Care of Children with Serious Illness |
11:45 a.m. | Lunch |
12:15 p.m. | Because I Knew You: How Some Remarkable Sick Kids Healed a Doctor’s Soul |
1:00 p.m. | Break |
1:15 p.m. | Deconstructing the Pedagogy: Breaking Down Advanced Communication Training |
1:45 p.m.
| The Nuts & Bolts of an Effective Pediatric Bereavement Program |
2:15 p.m. | Pouring the Foundation: Lessons Learned in Palliative Care Program Development |
2:45 p.m. | Agents of Change: Leveraging Palliative Care Skills in Leadership and Advocacy |
3:15 p.m. | Break |
3:30 p.m. | Neonatal & Pediatric Ethical Conundrums |
High-Yield Case Review | |
4:00 p.m. | Case 1: Interventional Interventions |
4:10 p.m. | Case 2: Sleep Disturbances |
4:20 p.m. | Case 3: Conflict Mediation |
4:30 p.m. | Case 4: Alternative Routes |
4:40 p.m. | Case 5: Symptom Management at End-of-Life Communication Pearls |
4:50 p.m. | Final Question and Answer |
5:00 p.m. | Adjourn |
Welcome Reception for all attendees and faculty | |
Mayo Clinic Updates in Palliative Care 2026 – General Session Course | ||
Thursday, April 30th, 2026 | ||
6:30 a.m. | Registration & Breakfast | |
6:55 a.m. | Welcome | |
7:00 a.m. | Insomnia in Patients with Serious Illness | |
7:30 a.m. | Malignant Wound Care – Management of Wounds When Healing Isn’t the Goal | |
8:00 a.m. | What’s New in Cachexia Management | |
8:30 a.m. | Coming Out of Both Ends: Complex Cases in the Management of Nausea and Diarrhea | |
9:00 a.m. | Break | |
9:15 a.m. | Interventional Radiologists are Your Friends | |
9:45 a.m. | Pumps and Stims In Palliative Care --- Are You Really Doing That? | |
10:15 a.m. | Surgery for Malignant Spinal Cord Compression: Who? When? Why? | |
10:45 a.m. | Break | |
11:00 a.m. | Communicating Uncertain Prognoses in Palliative Care | |
11:30 a.m. | No longer a child, not yet an adult – AYA Palliative Care | |
12:00 p.m. | Miracles and Patients Who Want Everything Done | |
12:30 p.m. |
| |
| ||
Workshops | ||
Hospice Intensive Workshop | ||
Palliative Care KSA | ||
Mayo Clinic Updates in Palliative Care 2026 – General Session Course | ||
Friday May 1, 2026 | ||
6:15 a.m. | Breakfast | |
6:55 a.m. | Welcome | |
7:00 a.m. | Changing Your Practice on Benzos and Psychotropics: Tricks from the Psychiatry Toolkit | |
7:30 a.m. | Pain Management and Co-Morbid SUD | |
8:00 a.m. | Complex Persistent Opioid Dependence: What is it and what do I do about it | |
8:30 a.m. | Why You Should Be Excited about Buprenorphine for Patients with Serious Illness | |
9:00 a.m. | Break | |
9:15 a.m. | What clinicians need to know about supporting coping in serious illness | |
9:45 a.m. | Navigating Spiritual & Existential Distress | |
10:15 a.m. | Coping through Integrative Interventions | |
10:45 a.m. | Break | |
11:00 a.m. | Tackling Cross Cultural Ethical Dilemmas | |
11:30 a.m. | "But I already know how to talk?!” Teaching High Quality Communication in Serious Illness | |
12:00 p.m. | Best Case Worst Case | |
12:30 p.m. | MODERATED POSTER SESSION OVER LUNCH | |
1:15 pm | Lunch | |
| ||
Workshop | ||
Buprenorphine in Palliative Care | ||
Mayo Clinic Updates in Palliative Care 2026 – General Session Course | |
Saturday May 2, 2026 | |
6:15 a.m. | Breakfast |
6:55 a.m. | Welcome |
| 7:00 a.m. | Most Impactful Literature Updates in Palliative Care in the last 12 months |
7:30 a.m. | Sexual Health in Serious Illness |
8:00 a.m. | Complex Care for Complex Diseases: |
8:30 a.m. | PTSD in Patients with Serious Illness |
9:00 a.m. | Break |
9:15 a.m. | Case Based Conundrums ICU |
9:45 a.m. | Case Based Conundrums Heart Failure |
10:15 a.m. | Case Based Conundrums Dementia |
10:45 a.m. | Break |
11:00 a.m. | Updates in Palliative Radiation Oncology |
11:30 a.m. | Caring for the Clinician – How to sustain yourself while caring for others |
12:00 p.m. | Three Things to Change in Your Practice Next Week |
12:30 p.m. | Adjourn |
Click here to make your room reservation.
Rooms have either one king bed or two queen beds and are located in the main hotel building or in the Fairway/Cyress/Ocean Guest House, based on availability. These have identical furnishing and amenities. Please note that if assigned the Main building, Valet Parking is mandatory. If you are in the Guest Houses, complimentary self-parking is included.
More information on room types and a gallery of room images are available on the hotel website.
All travel and lodging expenses are the sole responsibility of the individual registrant.
Accreditation Statement
In support of improving patient care, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.
Credit Statement(s):
AMA
Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science designates this live activity for a maximum of 30.75 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
AAPA
Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science has been authorized by the American Academy of Physician Associates (AAPA) to award AAPA Category 1 CME credit for activities planned in accordance with AAPA CME Criteria. This activity is designated for 30.75 AAPA Category 1 CME credits. PAs should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation.
ANCC
Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science designates this enduring material for a maximum of 30.75 ANCC contact hours. Nurses should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
AAFP
Application for CME credit has been filed with the American Academy of Family Physicians. Determination of credit is pending.
IPCE
This activity was planned by and for the healthcare team, and learners will receive 30.75 Interprofessional Continuing Education (IPCE) credit for learning and change.
Other Healthcare Professionals:
A record of attendance will be provided to all registrants for requesting credits in accordance with state nursing boards, specialty societies or other professional associations.
or disclosure information regarding Mayo Clinic School of Continuous Professional Development accreditation review committee member(s) and staff, please go here to review disclosures.
Available Credit
- 30.75 AAPA Category 1
- 30.75 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™
- 30.75 ANCC
- 30.75 Attendance
- 30.75 IPCE
This premier educational event brings together 150 internal medicine professionals from across the country to explore the latest advancements and best practices in the field. Your participation as an exhibitor offers a unique opportunity to connect with healthcare providers and decision-makers in a relaxed and engaging setting.
Please find the Exhibitor Prospectus for detailed information on exhibit opportunities, logistics, and sponsorship options. To reserve your space, we kindly request a signed Letter of Agreement at your earliest convenience.
Should you have any questions or need further assistance, please contact Cathy Schilling.
We look forward to your participation and to another successful event in 2026!
Please update your profile to let us know if you have dietary restrictions or access requirements.
To claim credit for livestream participation in this course, learners must view the content during the hours posted for the live activity. This course is not approved for on-demand delivery.
Commitment to Belonging and Inclusion
Mayo Clinic School of Continuous Professional Development (MCSCPD) strives to foster a learning environment in which all individuals are valued, allowing all to achieve their fullest potential.
Cancellation and Refund Policy
View Cancellation and Refund Policy
All requests must be submitted in writing using the Contact Us Form.
Any use of this site constitutes your agreement to the Terms and Conditions of Registration.