Effective communication is a learned skill that can be acquired through skill-building exercises, practice and coaching. In my opinion, practical models of communication training that promote deliberate practice are critically important not only to address the palliative care workforce shortage but also to promote patient-centered care and job satisfaction among clinicians who face an increasingly fragmented health care system. Effective communication by health care providers can profoundly improve satisfaction among patients and families. Similarly, the clinician skilled in responding to emotion and managing difficult conversations is more likely to feel greater connection with patients and interdisciplinary team members and, in turn, greater efficacy in providing high quality patient care. I have come to believe that promoting primary palliative care, particularly through communication training for generalist clinicians, is critical to meeting the needs of patients and the health care system. This conviction in turn has inspired my goal to become a national leader in communication training for generalist clinicians of all disciplines who care for older adults with serious and life-limiting illness.