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Faculty Profiles by Division

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Faculty Profiles
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photo Robert M. Arnold, MD

General Internal Medicine

Emeritus Professor of Medicine

Email: rabob@pitt.edu
Contact
 
E-mail: rabob@pitt.edu
Education and Training
Education
BA in Biology and Philosophy, University of Missouri, Kansas City, 1983
MD, University of Missouri, Kansas City, 1983
Training
Primary Care Internal Medicine Residency, Rhode Island Hospital, Providence, 1986
Robert Wood Johnson Clinical Scholar, University of Pennsylvania, 1988
Research Interest
Dr. Arnold focused on how clinicians operationalize ethical precepts in the care of seriously ill patients. He worked at the interface of communication skills training, medical ethics, and palliative care to improve clinician-patient relationships. His most recent research focused on teaching palliative care communication skills to clinicians using both face-to-face courses and new technologies and on understanding the impact of these educational interventions. He also worked with junior investigators to better understand the impact of primary palliative care interventions in oncology, cystic fibrosis, and cardiology. Finally, Dr. Arnold was interested in studying health system-wide interventions to improve seriously ill patients' and families' experiences.
Clinical Interest
Dr. Arnold's clinical activities focused on providing palliative care consults in a tertiary care hospital and working in a supportive oncology ambulatory practice. He was the president of the American Society of Bioethics and Humanities and the American Association of Palliative and Hospice Medicine.
Educational Interest
Dr. Arnold's educational activities focused on teaching ethics to residents and developing educational programs in specialties ranging from oncology to critical care medicine, and he has focused on teaching educators the best ways to help student’s learn.
Publications
For my complete bibliography, Click Here.
Selected Publications:
Back, A. L., Arnold, R. M., Tulsky, J. A. Mastering communication with seriously ill patients: Balancing honesty with empathy and hope. Cambridge University Press. 2009.
Schwarze, M. L., Campbell, T., Cunningham, T., White, D. B., Arnold, R. M. You can’t get what you want: innovation for end-of-life communication in the ICU. American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. 2016; 193(1): 14-16.
Arnold, R. M., Back, A. L., Prendergast, T. J., Emlet, L. L., Kapov, I., White, P. H., Nelson, J. E. The Critical Care Communication project: improving fellows' communication skills. Journal of Critical Care. 2015; 30(2): 250-254.
Tulsky, J. A., Arnold, R. M., Alexander, S. C., Olsen, M. K., Jeffreys, A. S., Rodriguez, K. L., Skinner, C. S. S., Farrell, D., Abernethy, A. P., Pollak, K. I. Enhancing communication between oncologists and patients with a computer-based training program: a randomized trial. Annals of Internal Medicine. 2011; 155(9): 593-601.
Sponsored Research/Activities
Title: Project Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes in Western PA
Role: Principal Investigator
Funding Agency: None
Grant Number: NONE
Start Year: 2020
End Year: 2023
Title: What We Talk about When We Talk about Surgery: Redesigning the Conceptual Framework for Preoperative Communication about Surgical Intervention
Role: Principal Investigator
Funding Agency: University of Wisconsin/ Greenwall Foundation
Start Year: 2019
End Year: 2022
Title: A Randomized Trial of Scalable, Interactive Tool to Support Surrogate Decision Makers of Elderly Critically Ill pAtients
Role: Co-Investigator
Funding Agency: National Institute of Aging
Grant Number: R01
Start Year: 2020
End Year: 2025
Title: A Multi-Site Trial of Specialist Palliative Care in CF
Role: Co-Investigator
Funding Agency: Emory University / Cystic Fibrosis Foundation
Grant Number: RES A371622
Start Year: 2020
End Year: 2021
Title: Patient-centered and efficacious advance care planning in cancer: the PEACe comparative effectiveness trial
Role: Co-Investigator
Funding Agency: National Cancer Institute
Grant Number: R01 CA235730
Start Year: 2019
End Year: 2024
Title: Expanding National Capacity and Diversity in Palliative care through Mentorship and Training
Role: Co-Investigator
Funding Agency: Arthur Vining Davis Foundation
Start Year: 2019
End Year: 2020
Title: SARAH: Supporting Families, Aligning Goals, and reducing Avoidable Hospitalizations in Serious Illness
Role: Co-Investigator
Funding Agency: The Milbank Foundation
Start Year: 2019
End Year: 2020
Title: A Cluster Randomized Trial of a Supportive Care Intervention (CONNECT) for Patients with Advanced Cancer
Role: Co-Investigator
Funding Agency: National Cancer Institute
Grant Number: R01 CA197103
Start Year: 2016
End Year: 2021
Title: University of Pittsburgh Clinical and Translational Science Institute (Team Science)
Role: Co-Investigator
Funding Agency: National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences
Grant Number: UL1 TR001857
Start Year: 2016
End Year: 2021
Notable Achievements
Hastings Center Fellow, 2020
Who’s Who in the World, 2017-2023
American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Care PDIA Palliative Medicine Leadership Award, 2011
Association of Specialty Professor Eric Neilson Award, 2018
Patricia Price Browne Prize in Biomedical Ethics, University of Oklahoma, 2016

Division Websites

Cardiology

Endocrinology and Metabolism

Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition

General Internal Medicine

Geriatric Medicine
Hematology/Oncology

Infectious Diseases

Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine

Renal-Electrolyte

Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology

Contact

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Phone:  412-648-9636
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