Laurel Herbst, MD
Faculty Emerita
The Institute for Palliative Medicine at San Diego Hospice
4311 Third Avenue
San Diego, CA, USA 92103-1407
Laurel Herbst, MD is Faculty Emerita for San Diego Hospice and The Institute for Palliative Medicine (SDHIPM). She attended the University of Southern California for undergraduate training and medical school. She completed her internship and Internal Medicine residency at LA County-USC medical center in 1972 and trained in Hematology-Oncology at the VA San Francisco. She returned to her hometown (San Diego) in 1977 and practiced hematology-oncology from 1980 until 1998 while simultaneously working as the first medical director for San Diego Hospice & Palliative Care (SDHPC), which she began doing in 1978. While at SDHPC she has been an advocate for the education of physicians and other health care professionals in palliative medicine.
Dr. Herbst was a founding member of the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine, and served on its board of directors for six years, one as President, 1996. During her tenure as President, the Academy stimulated the formation of the American Board of Hospice and Palliative Medicine. She received the first Robert T. Angarola award for excellence in pain management in July 1996 and the Sarnat Distinguished Humanitarian award in 2000. Her teaching team for medical students has been featured on CNN and she continues to teach palliative medicine and pain management locally, nationally, and internationally, including Tibet, China and Tanzania.