This interview is with Dr Parag Bharadwaj, Editor in Chief of Palliative Care: Research and Treatment, an electronic open access journal published by Libertas Academica.

Tom: What would you say is the primary focus of your research effort (and how do you refer to your 'sub-area')?

I am most interested in doing clinical research. However if there is a good opportunity and an interesting project presents itself, I don’t miss it. Also, I like to partner with colleagues from other fields and countries. I learn a lot more in the process.

Tom: What do you consider to be the most significant developments arising from research in your area?

Overall research in palliative care has certainly improved quality of care imparted to patients with life limiting illnesses. An interesting aspect of the research has been focus on the caregivers of the patients. Research has allayed some of the common myths associated with symptom management and how we approach death and dying both as clinicians and culturally as a society. Research done in this field will clearly define how physicians are trained and how they deal with patients in the future.

Tom: What do you consider to be the most significant open questions and research challenges in your area?

Common issues that we deal with are the use of opioids on a day to day basis. Only few questions have concrete answers, others concepts remain vague whereas some are poorly understood and studied. Also cultural, religious and ethical issues have a huge impact in our field of work.

Tom: Tell us about your collaborative research. Who else do you directly work with and what are the aims of your collaboration?

I have been fortunate enough to have worked with colleagues from different fields of expertise and different regions on different projects. I like networking with colleagues to learn from them and get the opportunity to work with them. Since there are so many unanswered questions, we come up with questions and try to find an answer.

Tom: Is balancing all these activities challenging? How do you deal with it and what tools do you find useful in doing so?

Quality of life is the mantra in palliative care and I like to practice what I preach. Having said that, it certainly is a challenge.

Tom: When did you decide to be primarily involved in the field that you are now in?

My experiences during my training days, from being a medical student in India to being a resident in Internal Medicine made me realize that often patients with advanced and incurable diseases were given suboptimal care and we are really not well trained to deal with such patients. It was during my Geriatrics fellowship that I made up my mind to pursue training in this filed. Now that you ask, Palliative Medicine was still not a recognized field in the United States during my training period although it was gaining momentum.

Tom: What resources do you find indispensible for your research work?

The most vital to me is a good team with a clear understanding of the roles and contributions of each individual to the project.

Tom: What do you think about the development of open access publishing and open access development? How has it changed your perspective on research or development practices?

I feel it is a unique and excellent opportunity. Authors can have their work reach a vast audience and an unrestricted one. Also, the papers are accessible for free to the readers. What I really like about Palliative Care: Research and Treatment is the opportunity it provides to contributors from developing countries, who might otherwise not be able to afford the submission costs, to have their papers published for free. I also like that it provides for readers to leave comments.

Tom: What books do you think should be required reading in your area?

A must read in my opinion is the Textbook of Palliative Medicine by Eduardo Bruera, Irene J Higginson, Carla Ripamonti, and Charles F Von Gunten. [Amazon.com]

Tom: What books are current on your reading list?

I was recently gifted a book on Ayurvedic Medicine. I am looking forward to reading it.

Tom: Do you teach any courses? If so, which ones?

Apart from teaching the medical trainees, from medical students to post graduate professionals (fellows) at my academic medical center, I am also faculty for a national faculty development mini fellowship program in which trainers are trained.

Tom: Which figures do you think have most influenced you?

I am lucky to state that a lot of my seniors have contributed to my growth. Dr Charles Von Gunten from San Diego Hospice and The Institute of Palliative Medicine has been most influential.

Tom: Which meetings do you attend on a regular basis?

I regularly attend the annual American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine meetings.
I try to attend international meetings when possible.

Tom: If you could change something about how research in your area is conducted, used, perceived, or resourced, what would it be?

It would be the recognition by the medical fraternity of the importance of research and funding for it in the field of palliative care and hospice. No matter what disease patients suffer from, they will eventually die. That is the common pathway, however it is much neglected.

My thanks to Dr Bharadwaj.