Skip to main content
James Tulsky, MD, Internal Medicine, Boston, MA, Brigham and Women's Hospital

JamesAaronTulskyMDFACP, FAAHPM

Internal Medicine Boston, MA

Hospice & Palliative Medicine

Poorvu Jaffe Chair, Department of Psychosocial Oncology and Palliative Care, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

Dr. Tulsky is on Doximity

As a Doximity member you'll join over two million verified healthcare professionals in a private, secure network.

  • Connect with other colleagues in the same hospital or clinic
  • Search all U.S. specialist profiles and refer a patient
  • Read the latest clinical news and earn CME/CEU credits

See Dr. Tulsky's full profile

Already have an account?

Summary

  • I am the Poorvu Jaffe Chair, Department of Psychosocial Oncology and Palliative Care at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Chief, Division of Palliative Medicine at Brigham and Women's Hospital, and Professor of Medicine and Co-Director, Center for Palliative Care at Harvard Medical School. I have a longstanding interest in doctor-patient communication, palliative care interventions, and quality of life at the end of life. My current research projects focus on the evaluation and enhancement of communication between oncologists and patients with advanced cancer, identification of clinical, psychosocial and spiritual trajectories of patients at the end of life, development of self-management interventions for patients with life-limiting illness, and evaluating the role of palliative care in congestive heart failure.

Education & Training

  • University of California (San Francisco) School of Medicine
    University of California (San Francisco) School of MedicineFellowship, Robert Wood Johnson Clinical Scholarship, 1991 - 1993
  • University of California (San Francisco)
    University of California (San Francisco)Chief Residency, Internal Medicine, 1990 - 1991
  • University of California (San Francisco)
    University of California (San Francisco)Residency, Internal Medicine, 1987 - 1990
  • University of Illinois College of Medicine
    University of Illinois College of MedicineClass of 1987, MD, James Scholar in Independent Study; AOA
  • Cornell University, College of Arts and Sciences
    Cornell University, College of Arts and SciencesAB, Biology and Society, 1977 - 1981

Certifications & Licensure

  • FL State Medical License
    FL State Medical License 2022 - Present
  • MA State Medical License
    MA State Medical License 2015 - 2024
  • NC State Medical License
    NC State Medical License 1993 - 2017
  • CA State Medical License
    CA State Medical License 1989 - 1994
  • American Board of Internal Medicine Internal Medicine
  • American Board of Internal Medicine Hospice and Palliative Medicine

Awards, Honors, & Recognition

  • America's Top Doctors Castle Connolly, 2010-2014
  • America's Top Doctors for Cancer Castle Connolly, 2009-2013
  • American Academy on Hospice and Palliative Medicine Award for Research Excellence, 2006
  • Join now to see all

Clinical Trials

Publications & Presentations

PubMed

Journal Articles

  • The evolution of volunteerism and professional staff within hospice care in North Carolina.  
    Steinhauser KE, Maddox GL, Person JL, Tulsky JA, Hospice J 2000;15(1):35-51
  • Responding to legal requests for physician-assisted suicide.  
    Tulsky JA, Ciampa R, Rosen EJ, Ann Intern Med 2000;132(6):494-99
  • In search of a good death: observations of patients, families and providers.  
    Steinhauser KE, Clipp EC, McNeilly MD, Christakis NA, McIntyre LM, Tulsky JA, Ann Intern Med 2000; 132(10):825-32.
  • Join now to see all

Books/Book Chapters

  • Join now to see all

Abstracts/Posters

  • Patient knowledge after advance directive discussions.
    Tulsky JA, Fischer GS, Rose MR, Arnold RM, J Gen Intern Med 1995;10(4 suppl):114.
  • Arnold RM Patient preference for "futile" treatments after advance directive discussions.
    Tulsky JA, Fischer GS, Rose MR, J Gen Intern Med 1995;10(4 suppl):115
  • Ability of physicians to predict patient treatment wishes after advance directive discussions.
    Fischer GS, Tulsky JA, Arnold RM, J Gen Intern Med 1995;10(4 suppl):108
  • Join now to see all

Lectures

  • Medicine and Memory: Say What? 
    Department of Medicine Grand Rounds, UCSF Medical Center
  • Delivering Bad News to Patients with AIDS. 
    Guest speaker, Center for AIDS Prevention Studies, San Francisco, CA
  • Ethics and the Care of the Elderly. 
    Guest speaker, San Francisco Jewish Family Network
  • Join now to see all

Press Mentions

  • Physician Heal Thyself? After 4 Years of Treatment for Stage 4 Cancer I Just Wanted Some Encouraging Words from My Oncologist
    Physician Heal Thyself? After 4 Years of Treatment for Stage 4 Cancer I Just Wanted Some Encouraging Words from My OncologistAugust 3rd, 2022
  • Will Your Health Care Directives Protect You?
    Will Your Health Care Directives Protect You?March 26th, 2022
  • Time-Limited Trials May Reduce Non-Beneficial ICU Care
    Time-Limited Trials May Reduce Non-Beneficial ICU CareSeptember 29th, 2021
  • Join now to see all

Grant Support

  • Palliative Care In Heart Failure (Pal-Hf)National Institute Of Nursing Research2011
  • Communication In Oncologist Patient Encounters: A Patient InterventionNational Cancer Institute2009–2011
  • Self-Management Interventions In Life-Limiting IllnessNational Institute Of Nursing Research2008–2011
  • Data Collection, Management And Qualitative Analysis CoreNational Institute Of Nursing Research2008–2011
  • Trajectories Of Serious Illness: Patients And CaregiversNational Institute Of Nursing Research2003–2007
  • Enhancing Patient-Oncologist CommunicationNational Cancer Institute2003–2007

Professional Memberships

Other Languages

  • Hebrew

Hospital Affiliations