MSW Carol LaMare (CL) Scholars Program

The Carol LaMare (CL) Scholars Program is an initiative of the UW School of Social Work funded by Dr. Lynn Behar and her husband Howard, as the foundational program within the Center for Integrative Oncology and Palliative Care. The CL Program is currently designed to train approximately 12 MSW students in the Clinical Practice Specialization in either the Day or EDP Program to enter our profession to work with people with cancer or with other life-limiting illness, those in palliative care or in need of hospice services at the end of life. 

The Carol LaMare Oncology and Palliative Care Scholarships are intended for Clinical Specialization students in the MSW day or EDP Cohorts.  Most students, have had personal or family with cancer or other life limiting illness or have work or volunteer experience in health care settings with cancer, or other life limiting illnesses.  with goals of working with patients living with cancer or a significant life-limiting illness, a true commitment to social justice, and have leadership potential.

Students are most excited about the experience of having a year-long integrative seminar space to build their relationships with colleagues sharing the same interests, engaging with instructors covering specialized topics, and to have conversations about the joys and challenges of this work. 

• The Informational Zoom will be held on Monday, January 13, from 5:30-6:30PM. You will be able to meet several Carol LaMare scholars past and present in the program who can share their experiences and along with faculty, answer questions.
• If you are interested in the program, please email Co-Directors of the Carol LaMare Program, Assistant Teaching Professor Alice Ryan (Alice C Ryan alicer2@uw.edu) and Associate Teaching Professor J’May Rivara jbr@uw.edu.
• Attach your resume and in the body of the email write a paragraph or so to let us know about your interest in the program as well as the type of setting you are most interested in including outpatient oncology centers, inpatient/outpatient services in hospitals, palliative Care and or hospice programs. You are welcome to ask questions.
• We will send the detailed instructions for the Application just after the information session.
• The application includes a letter addressing specific areas, names and contact info on 2 references, and is due no later than end of day on Friday, January 31^st .   All letters will be screened.  and we let students know if they will be interviewed. We will hold a 20-minute zoom interview with each applicant over the weeks of February 3 and If need be Feb 10. Students will be told if they are conditionally accepted if they match with an eligible site. and we will let eligible sites know the list of students who have been conditionally approved as you competitively are chosen and accept a qualified setting. There are Carol LaMare Designated CL Practice sites and there are C L Eligible sites. Every year we have new sites and are always eager to have students share knowledge of other eligible Sites.   

The first Carol LaMare Scholarship was awarded in 2005, and since then the program has provided Traineeship support at an approved or eligible practicum site for 160+scholars.  There is an active CL Alumni Network of former Scholars practicing as clinical social workers and/or holding leadership positions in important oncology and palliative care settings in the Seattle region. These include among others, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle Children’s Hospital; UW Medical Center Montlake and UW Northwest, Swedish Cancer Institute, Evergreen Hospice, Evergreen Outpatient Oncology, Virginia Mason Outpatient Oncology, Kline Galland Palliative Care, Kaiser Permanente Hospice. Some of our early Alums have transitioned into group or individual practices supporting clients around loss, grief, adjustment to illness issues and with special consideration in working with marginalized communities and identities. We hold an annual reunion for our Alums each spring and recently added a summer picnic, where we continue to provide support and networking opportunities.

The rich CL educational experience begins with a weekend retreat as part of the CL curriculum but before fall quarter begins that allows the new CL cohort to form supportive relationships with each other in a non-academic setting where resources, such as, articles and clinical practices are shared, in addition to, the copy of the Handbook of Oncology Social Work Edited by our founder among others. The retreat has offered a place for students who have been drawn to this work, a place to cultivation connection, and a place to learn the framework for the year ahead and have an opportunity to engage in meaningful discussions in this unique field. Concurrent to the year-long practicum, the CL Integrative Seminar was the first of the Integrated seminars at the UWSSW over 3 quarters of 5 sessions immersed in specialized information and discussion and dialogue about cancer and palliative care, goals of care, grief and loss support, and case presentations designed to help a new social worker be effective in these settings. Using a health equity and anti-racism lens, students practice skills focused on micro/meso/macro case assessment, clinical interventions, organizational advocacy and self-care.  Informal optional time in off weeks in Winter and Spring quarters provide support, discussion on topics of interest, interaction with career panels of recent Carol LaMare graduates and health care managers.

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