The Hillebrand Center for Compassionate Care in Medicine at Notre Dame

Dear Friends,

The Hillebrand Center for Compassionate Care in Medicine at Notre Dame works to restore the spirit of compassion in healthcare by advancing the application of the science of compassion at every level of medical training and practice to transform clinician well-being and patient care. We firmly believe that compassion is not just a virtue, but a skill that can be taught, learned, and practiced by healthcare professionals.

We seek to provide a solid foundation in compassionate care and medical interpersonal skills through specially designed course work for pre-professional students before they go on to pursue graduate medical training. Many of the 1,000+ ND alumni and students who have taken our courses are now working in healthcare-related training or graduate schools. Whatever their path, as men and women of Notre Dame they are actively trying to be a force for good in the world by advocating for compassionate care in medicine.

Outside of the classroom, the Hillebrand Center collaborates with local and national healthcare organizations to foster compassionate care in medicine and all helping professionals. Through these partnerships, we share our expertise in the science of compassion and work with other organizations to promote the adoption of compassionate care practices. We also offer consultation services for healthcare organizations and provide continuing education and workshops for health professionals. Through these services, we aim to support the development of more compassionate and effective healthcare systems.

I am proud of the work that we are doing at the Hillebrand Center, and I invite you to explore our ThinkND mini-library full of free continuing education resources for you. Please feel free to pass them along to friends and family, too.

With warm regards,
Dominic O. Vachon, M.Div., Ph.D.
The John G. Sheedy, M.D., Director of the Ruth M. Hillebrand Center for Compassionate Care in Medicine
University of Notre Dame