3rd Annual Palliative Conference: The Art of Palliative Medicine --- Mastering communication skills for serious illness

Friday, March 27, 2026, 7:30 AM - 3:00 PM, Sentara Park, Virginia Beach, VA

The conference covers topics including pain management, symptom control, psychological and spiritual support, communication with patients and families, ethical issues, grief and bereavement, end-of-life care planning and provider self-care. The conference includes keynote speaker, didactic presentations, case studies, and interactive sessions where participants can learn practical skills and strategies for providing compassionate and effective palliative care.

1. Recognize the importance of palliative care medicine in improving quality of life for the patients with serious illness and their families from both the primary and specialty care providers' perspective.
2. Apply effective communication strategies and techniques that can be used in difficult conversations with patients, families, caregivers and colleagues.
3. Develop a personal action plan for improving communication skills when talking to someone with serious illness.

Registration Fees

• All Professions: $40.00

• Virginia Oncology Associates (Physicians and Staff): $40.00

• Students, Residents, and Fellows:  Free

Same rate applies for both the in-person and virtual attendance. 

Conference Day Details

Location: Sentara Park – Virginia Beach Conference Room
Address: 1330 Sentara Park, Virginia Beach, VA 23464

Check-In & Breakfast: Begins at 7:30 AM
Opening Remarks: Start promptly at 8:00 AM

Entry Requirements:

• Sentara employees: Sentara badge required

• Non-Sentara attendees: Government-issued photo ID required

AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ (6.00 hours), ABIM MOC Part 2 (6.00 hours), Non-Physician Attendance (6.00 hours)

Sentara is accredited by the Southern States CME Collaborative to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

Physicians: Sentara designates this Live Activity for a maximum of 6.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™.  Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

ABIM MOC: Successful completion of this CME activity, which includes participation in the evaluation component, enables the participant to earn up to 6.00 MOC points in the American Board of Internal Medicine’s (ABIM) Maintenance of Certification (MOC) program. It is the CME activity provider’s responsibility to submit participant completion information to ACCME for the purpose of granting ABIM MOC credit.

All Other Learners: All other learners will receive a Certificate of Attendance for 6.00 hours of education .  Consult your professional licensing board regarding the applicability and acceptance of certificates of attendance for educational activities certified for AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ from organization accredited by the Southern States CME Collaborative, an ACCME Recognized Accreditor.

Accessibility Statement
 
Sentara is committed to ensuring that its programs, services, goods and facilities are accessible to individuals with disabilities as specified under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Amendments Act of 2008.  If you have needs that require special accommodations, including dietary concerns, please contact the CME Conference Coordinator.

1330 Sentara Park
Virginia Beach, VA 23464

Sentara attendees must have their Sentara badge, and non-Sentara attendees must have a government issues photo ID to enter.

Lactation rooms are available please ask the front security desk for assistance. 

Mitigation of Relevant Financial Relationships

The Continuing Medical Education department adheres to ACCME Standards for Integrity and Independence in Accredited Continuing Education. Any individuals in a position to control the content of an accredited activity, including faculty, planners, reviewers or others are required to disclose all relevant financial relationships with ineligible entities (commercial interests). All relevant conflicts of interest have been mitigated prior to the commencement of the activity.