Fellow Spotlight: Kaustav Mukherjee, MD

A blend of personal and professional experiences compelled Kaustav Mukherjee, MD, to pursue specialized training in palliative care. With his graduation from UI Health Care’s Hospice and Palliative Fellowship Program on the horizon, Mukherjee reflected on how his time here helped him get the most from this pursuit.

Before formal training began, a family experience led Mukherjee to understand the importance of comfort care.

His grandmother struggled with non-Hodgkin lymphoma for several years, and eventually, chemotherapy stopped working for her. In India, formal palliative care was not established at the hospital where she was treated, but medication adjustments improved her comfort as she discontinued cancer treatment.

“She was able to interact with us like her normal self again—even if it was on a video call, I could see the difference,” Mukherjee said. “Seeing firsthand what a difference this approach made toward the end of her life made me understand just how important hospice care is.”

Mukherjee’s training reinforced this importance. During his residency at Access Health, a comprehensive medical center in southern West Virginia, he completed elective rotations at the local hospice house, where he spent time with patients and their families through end-of-life care. These opportunities to show up for patients just like his grandmother, and families just like his own, motivated him to seek specialized expertise in hospice and palliative care.

Why Iowa?
Mukherjee wanted a program where he could channel his passion into practical expertise. After matching at Iowa following residency, he found exactly that. Our one-year fellowship offered versatile rotations where Mukherjee developed robust subspecialty skills across a range of care settings.

Some of these skills include facilitating end-of-life care conversations, symptom management, and coordination with primary and specialty physicians to provide comprehensive patient care.

In addition to inpatient care, Mukherjee also had a unique opportunity to provide outpatient hospice care in the community. Going into patients’ homes, Mukherjee worked to help manage pain for patients with less than six months left to live so that they could feel more at ease within their preferred environment.

Across every care setting, what Mukherjee appreciated most was forming connections with patients and their families. He said that the program’s emphasis on building strong communication skills allowed him to develop this rapport amid challenging conversations and decision-making.

“At times, patient and family goals of care may not align, or families need to make difficult decisions on behalf of their loved ones,” he said. “I learned to practice the REMAP acronym during these times. I had conversations that were both direct and natural, where I could offer support and also guidance.”

Mukherjee credits mentorship with strengthening his communication skills. He expressed gratitude to John H. Wilde, DO, Director of the Hospice and Palliative Care Program, and the former director, Yuya Hagiwara, MD, for their timely feedback. It made all the difference, Mukherjee said, and allowed him to capitalize on his strengths while pursuing new progress.

“As you transition to an attending role, there aren’t as many opportunities for direct, real-time feedback. I had the opportunity to get that at Iowa, and I have made meaningful improvements in communication and symptom management because of it.”

Next steps
After his program ends, Mukherjee will move to Pennsylvania in July, taking on an attending role at Geisinger Community Medical Center. His role will begin with an outpatient primary care focus, then, as Mukherjee builds a patient panel, will expand into palliative and hospice care integration.

Wherever his career takes him, Mukherjee said he can carry his training from our Hospice and Palliative Fellowship into thoughtful communication and relationship-building—the foundation of all quality patient care.