1.Summarize selected important, peer-reviewed articles from the last year.2.Critique the methodologies and understand the conclusions of these articles.3.Determine if the findings are relevant to the patients for whom the attendee cares. The objective of this session is to review the journal articles published during the last year with the highest potential for impact upon the field of hospice and palliative medicine. A hand search of leading journals, highly relevant to the practice of hospice and palliative care, was supplemented with a search of evidence-based reviews, a targeted keyword search, and conversations with experts in the disciplines of medicine, nursing, and social work. Journal articles were reviewed for both study quality and potential for immediate impact on the field of hospice and palliative care. There was a selection bias against descriptive studies, pilot studies, pre-clinical studies, retrospective studies, open-label trials, case-series, instrument validation studies, and confirmatory analyses. The papers selected for presentation at this session were chosen from among studies meeting the above criteria with an attempt to appeal to the broad interests of assembly attendees. All domains