Rebecca Aslakson – Redefining Palliative Care

By Conor Ryan

Rebecca Aslakson

Assistant Professor of Anesthesia and Critical Care Medicine at the John Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Rebecca is approaching the end of a major two year study focusing on how critically ill patients in surgical intensive care units and their families perceive their ICU experience. Her work is redefining the parameters of high quality patient-centered palliative care by helping clinicians to more deeply understand patients' emotional, social and spiritual needs and by improving communication between patients, families and medical professionals.

Rebecca is a 2001 Mitchell Scholar. She received a Master's Degree in Biomedical Sciences from the University of Ulster, Coleraine. Rebecca was particularly impressed by the work being done at the university in the area of nutrition. Learning about the dietary requirements of patients with certain conditions furthered Rebecca's interest in fully understanding patients' care experience. Studying in Ireland she also had her first opportunity to participate in human studies as opposed to lab research or data analysis.

Rebecca is passionately dedicated to improving the delivery of palliative care and medicine to severely ill patients, particularly those with surgical illnesses. She will continue to work as both clinician and researcher but hopes to spend the majority of her time leading ground breaking research. She may in time set up her own institute in order to create an independently funded center for excellence in palliative care research.