Biography
Dr. Marr received her MD at the University of Maryland School of Medicine in 1990, and completed a residency in Internal Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center in 1993. She completed a fellowship in Palliative Medicine at Harvard/Massachusetts General Hospital in 2003.
Personal Statement
After practicing as an internist for 9 years, I pursued training in Palliative Medicine in 2002-2003, and have worked in the field of Palliative Medicine since that time. I feel privileged to work with patients and families facing serious or life threatening illness, and work to alleviate the many causes of suffering- physical, emotional, social and spiritual- along with our outstanding interdisciplinary team of professionals. In addition to providing clinical care, I am an educator, with focus on communication skills, cultural awareness and sensitivity in medical practice, wellness and sustainability, and spiritual issues at end of life.
Areas of Specialty
Spiritual issues in end of life care Effective communication in medical practice Palliative Care for American Indian/Alaska Native patients Wellness and sustainability in medical practice Social determinants of health and their impact on provision of palliative care
Certifications
BS MD
Achievements & Awards
New Mexico American College of Physicians “Teacher of the Year”, 2018 Outstanding Inspirational Leader to Hospital Medicine, UNM 2017 Medical Leadership Academy, UNM, 2016-2017 Department of Internal Medicine Quality and Safety Award, UNM 2013 Excellence in Teaching Award, UNM SOM 2010 Edward J. Lennon Endowed Clinical Teaching Award, MCW, 2007 Fellowship, Palliative Medicine, MGH, 2002-2003 Clinical Pastoral Education Scholarship Award, MGH, 2002 Rush Medical Club, UMD, 1985
Languages
- English
Courses Taught
I achieved ACGME certification for the UNM Hospice and Palliative Medicine fellowship in 2012, and was program director for 5 years. I have lectured on multiple topics related to palliative care and hospice, including pain and symptom management, prognostication, effective communication in palliative care, and spiritual and cultural issues in palliative and end of life care. My particular interests are in provision of palliative and end of life care in underserved communities, particularly palliative care for AI/AN patients. I am most interested in spiritual and cultural issues in patient care, as well as physician sustainability in medical practice.
Research and Scholarship
Gebauer S, Morley SK, Haozous EA, Finlay E, Camarata C, Fahy B, FtizGerald E, Harlow K and Marr L. Palliative Care for American Indians and Alaska Natives: A Review of the Literature. J Palliat Med 2016:19(12): 1331-1340. Katzman JG, Fore C, Bhatt S, Greenberg N, Salvador JG, Comerci GC, Camarata C, Marr L, Monette R, Arora S, Bradford A, Taylor D, Dillow J, and Karol S. Evaluation of American Indian Health Service Training in Pain Management and Opioid Substance Use Disorder. Government, Law and Public Health Practice 2016: American Journal of Public Health August 2016, Vol. 106, No. 8 : pp. 1427-1429 Eneanya ND, Goff SL, Martinez T, Gutierrez N, Klingensmith J, Griffith JL, Garvey C, Kitsen J, Germain MJ, Marr L, Berzoff J, Unruh M, Cohen LM. Shared decision-making in end-stage renal disease: a protocol for a multi-center study of a communication intervention to improve end-of-life care for dialysis patients. BMC Palliative Care. 2015; Jun12:14-30. Marr LA, Neale D, Wolfe V and Kitzes J. Confronting Myths: The Native American experience in an academic inpatient palliative care consultation program. J Palliat Med. 2012 Jan;15(1):71-6. Epub 2012 Jan 13 Marr, L. Can Compassion Fatigue? J Palliat Med. 2009 Aug;12(8):739-40.