End of life care, and the discussions that surround it, are becoming ever more important in the ICU. Sadly, many of these conversations do not always proceed as smoothly as they might. Our lecturer for today, Dr. Alexandra Leigh, is an expert in these end-of-life discussions, and in her lecture will share some observations on how to negotiate these delicate conversations, as well as potential pitfalls to avoid.
Dr. Leigh joined the Tulane faculty in 2013 as a specialist in hospice and palliative medicine; she currently does all of her clinical work at the New Orleans VA. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Princeton University and completed her MD in 2005 at the University of Alabama, her home state. She completed her internal medicine residency, a chief resident year, and her fellowship in hospice and palliative medicine at UAB in Birmingham Alabama. From 2010 to 2012, Dr. Leigh worked as an assistant professor at UAB and the Birmingham VA Medical Center practicing inpatient palliative medicine and internal medicine, educating residents and fellows, and performing research on hospice emergency kits. She received her board certification in Internal Medicine in 2008 and in Hospice and Palliative Care in 2010.