Ashley Nichols, MD, FAAHPM

Dr. Nichols is an Associate Professor in the Department of Medicine, Division of Gerontology, Geriatrics and Palliative Care at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB); she's board-certified in Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, and Hospice & Palliative Medicine as well as a fellow of the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine. Her clinical work is mainly focused on inpatient palliative care, both at UAB and Children’s of Alabama, with some longitudinal ambulatory work with adolescent/young adult muscular dystrophy. She previously served as Medical Director for UAB’s inpatient palliative services, managing an acute palliative care unit and consultation service; she is now the Physician Advisor for UAB's Serious Illness Service Line.

As a clinician-educator, she has developed clinical palliative rotations and education for residents, medical students, and rotating fellows as well as many interprofessional learners from both UAB and the community. She is core faculty for UAB’s Palliative Care Leadership Center (PCLC) through the Center to Advance Palliative Care, training and mentoring hospital programs from across the country to develop their own palliative programs. She also serves as a Senior Faculty Facilitator for VitalTalk, teaching serious illness communication to clinicians. She leads UAB's Advanced Communication Training Scholars to evaluate needs and create programs in the health system to improve serious illness communication.