Palliative medicine is specialized medical care for adults and children with serious illness that focuses on the burden of illness, rather than the illness itself. It covers the domains of pain and symptom management, communication skills, and emotional support to help patients maximize quality of life. Hospice care focuses on the last 6 months of life or less. The field of palliative medicine has seen exponential growth. This chapter serves to introduce the field of palliative medicine, its domains including a focus on pain management and communication skills, and provide information on the benefits of palliative medicine. The most up-to-date evidence related to key topics pertaining to palliative medicine is presented within the chapter.