Dr. Seema Rajesh Rao
Director of Education & Research, Bangalore Hospice Trust, Karunashraya Institute for Palliative Care Education and ResearchHonorary Senior Lecturer, School of Medicine, Cardiff (UK)Adjunct Faculty, Department of Palliative Medicine and Supportive Care, Kasturba Medical College, ManipalFaculty, Lien Collaborative for Palliative Care, SingaporeHonorary Senior Lecturer, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, UKNational Faculty, Indian Association of Palliative Care (IAPC)Course Chair for IAPC's Foundation Course in Psychosocial Issues in Palliative CareEditorial Board Member, BMC Palliative CareDr. Seema Rao is an experienced Palliative Care physician and educator, with over two decades of work in mental health and palliative care. She earned her postgraduate degree in Psychiatry from Rajiv Gandhi University, Bengaluru (2001) and later completed a Masters in Palliative Medicine (2019) from Cardiff University, where she was awarded a Commonwealth Scholarship. Dr. Rao also holds a National Fellowship in Palliative Medicine from the Institute of Palliative Medicine, Calicut (2013).Currently, she serves as the Director of Education & Research at Bangalore Hospice Trust (BHT) and leads the Karunashraya Institute for Palliative Care Education and Research (KIPCER). In these roles, Dr. Rao oversees the training and research activities at BHT’s two hospices, including the 73-bed BHT-Karunashraya in Bengaluru and the 110-bed Bagchi Karunashraya Palliative Care Center in Bhubaneshwar. She is also the Course Director for the Certificate Course in Counselling Skills in Cancer and Palliative Care (CCPC) and the International Neuropalliative Care Certificate Course, offered in collaboration with Kasturba Medical College, Manipal.Dr. Rao's expertise extends across clinical practice, education, and research. She has held key roles at Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai, as well as Kasturba Medical College, Manipal.With a special focus on psycho-spiritual care, Dr. Rao is trained in Dignity Therapy, Meaning-Centered Psychotherapy, Mindfulness Therapy, and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. She has completed the Interprofessional Spiritual Care Education Curriculum (ISPEC) program from the George Washington Institute for Spirituality and Health (GWish), Washington DC. Dr. Rao is also a certified master facilitator for Education in Palliative and End-of-Life Care training from Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago. She has authored numerous publications in national and international journals and presented at various national and international conferences.
