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Faculty Detail    
Name KEITH MARK SWETZ
MD, MA
 
Campus Address CH19 219L
Phone  (205) 996-6419
E-mail  kswetz@uabmc.edu
Other websites UAB Scholars
     

Education
Undergraduate  Albright College    1999  B.S., Summa Cum Laude, Biochemistry 
Medical School  Penn State University College of Medicine    2003  M.D. 
Residency  Mayo School of Graduate Medical Education     2006  Internal Medicine 
Fellowship  Medical College of Virginia/Virginia Commonwealth University    2008  Hospice and Palliative Medicine 
Graduate  Loyola University Chicago    2012  M.A., Bioethics and Health Policy 

Certifications
Hospice Medical Director Certification (HMDC)  2015-2027 


Faculty Appointment(s)
Appointment Type Department Division Rank
Primary  Med-Gerontology/Geriatrics/Palliative Care  Med-Gerontology/Geriatrics/Palliative Care Professor
Center  Ctr for Palliative & Supportive Care (Org Ret)  Ctr for Palliative & Supportive Care (Org Ret) Professor

Biographical Sketch 
Dr. Keith M. Swetz is Professor of Medicine at the UAB Heersink School of Medicine. He has previously served Medical Director of UAB Medicine's Supportive Care and Survivorship Clinic, and Ambulatory Clinical Core Leader in the Division of Gerontology, Geriatrics, and Palliative Care. Dr. Swetz received his M.D. degree from the Penn State College of Medicine in Hershey, Pennsylvania. He subsequently completed his internal medicine residency at the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota and a Hospice and Palliative Medicine fellowship at the Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Virginia. He rejoined staff at Mayo Clinic in 2008 and served as a Consultant in the Division of General Internal Medicine and in the Section of Palliative Medicine until 2015, when he was recruited to UAB. Dr. Swetz has focused on efforts to integrate palliative care into the care of patients with heart failure and left ventricular assist devices at The Kirklin Clinic and across the UAB campus. Dr. Swetz completed a Master of Arts degree in Bioethics and Health Policy from Loyola University Chicago in 2012. He has a strong interest in ethical decision making, particularly as it relates to advanced medical technologies like cardiac devices and hemodialysis. He has written over 100 peer-reviewed manuscripts and given over 150 educational presentations related to these topics. Personally, Dr. Swetz is the proud father of two daughters and two sons.

Society Memberships
Organization Name Position Held Org Link
Alpha Omega Alpha  Member  www.alphaomegaalpha.org 
American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine  Fellow (FAAHPM)  www.aahpm.org 
American College of Physicians  Fellow (FACP)  https://www.acponline.org/ 



Research/Clinical Interest
Title
Description
Clinical: Palliative Care in the Acute Care Setting and Palliative Care for patients with advanced cardiac diseases. Research: Shared decision making and patient-centered care in life-limiting illnesses, particularly with a focus on advanced or invasive therapies. Clinical education related to palliative care and medical ethics.

Selected Publications 
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Keywords
palliative care, medical ethics, left ventricular assist devices, advanced heart failure.