Brooke Worster, MD

Enterprise Director, Supportive Oncology
Medical Director, MS in Medical Cannabis Science & Business, IEHP
Professor

Contact Information

Brooke Worster, MD

Honickman Center
1101 Chestnut Street
14th Floor
Philadelphia, PA 19107

Email Brooke Worster

215-955-8874

Enterprise Director, Supportive Oncology
Medical Director, MS in Medical Cannabis Science & Business, IEHP
Professor

RESEARCH & CLINICAL INTEREST

My research is centered on improving the quality of life for individuals living with serious and life-limiting illnesses. A core area of focus is the comparative effectiveness of medical cannabis versus traditional prescription pharmacotherapies in managing pain and other burdensome symptoms such as nausea, anxiety, and appetite loss. This includes evaluating not only clinical outcomes, but also the safety, accessibility, and patient-centered implications of integrating cannabis-based interventions into serious illness care.

In parallel, my work explores how interdisciplinary, team-based care models can be optimized to provide holistic support to patients and their families. I am particularly interested in developing metrics that meaningfully capture the impact of collaborative care on patient outcomes, caregiver burden, and overall healthcare utilization.

These intersecting areas of inquiry have directly shaped my efforts in academic leadership, including the development and ongoing direction of the Master of Science in Medical Cannabis Science & Business program. This program reflects my commitment to advancing evidence-based education, research, and policy related to emerging therapies in supportive oncology and palliative care.

EDUCATION

Medical School

Temple University School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA - 2007

Residency

Internal Medicine, Temple Hospital, Philadelphia, PA - 2010

Fellowship

Palliative Care Massachusetts General Hospital & DFCI Boston, MA - 2012
Pain, MGH &  Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA - 2013

Publications

Certification

  • SAMHSA X Waiver - 2019

Awards

  • Attending Teaching Award, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital - 2015
  • Gold Humanism Honor Society, Sidney Kimmel Medical College - 2018
  • Leadership Academy, Jefferson Health - 2018
  • Dean’s Award for Excellence in Education, Sidney Kimmel Medical College - 2018
  • James B. Erdmann, PhD Award for Excellence In Interprofessional Collaborative Practice - 2018

Biography

Dr. Worster grew up in central Pennsylvania, attended medical school in Philadelphia at Temple University, completed her internal medicine residency and was a chief resident after completing her residency at Temple as well. This is where she fell in love with treating underserved patients with serious illness. Subsequently she completed a pain and palliative medicine fellowship in Boston, MA at the Harvard MGH/Dana Farber Palliative Care/Pain program and loves the challenges of creating a Supportive Medicine and Cancer Survivorship Program spanning the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center enterprise, as well as new endeavors in transitional, home base and nursing home palliative care.