Introduction

One of the greatest challenges today is training leaders who will provide clinical care for older adults, who will teach others about the medical care for the older population, and who will conduct research to better understand age associated diseases and the aging process. The Geriatric Medicine Fellowship Training Program of Eastern Virginia Medical School is designed to address this issue.

The Glennan Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology established the geriatric fellowship in September 2000; the program obtained full accreditation by the ACGME, effective July 1, 2001.

The geriatric medicine fellowship program is organized to provide a well-supervised experience at an advanced level of training, and sufficient for the trainee to acquire the competence of a physician with Added Qualifications in Geriatric Medicine. The Geriatric Medicine Fellowship aims to:

• Prepare individuals to meet the requirements for Certification in Geriatrics Medicine.
• Prepare individuals to care for older patients in diverse settings with specific knowledge about unique characteristics of disease and illness from biology to management of older adults.
• Provide training in teaching, research in aging and administration for settings providing care for older adults.

General Description

The Geriatric Medicine Fellowship is twelve months in duration and designed to meet the requirements necessary for program graduates to sit for the examination conferring a Certificate of Added Qualifications in Geriatric Medicine. Geriatric medicine fellows (2) typically begin training July 1 and complete the clinical training by June 30 of the following year.

Clinical training, the core curriculum and research activities for the geriatric medicine fellowship are planned, implemented and supervised by the program director, Marissa C. Galicia-Castillo, MD, MSEd, CMD, FACP, Sue Faulkner Scribner Professor of Geriatrics, and the education team who serve as the geriatric medicine fellowship advisory committee. Junior and senior physician faculty with Added Qualifications in Geriatric Medicine, gerontologists and scientists with doctoral degrees and the staff administrator for geriatric medical education comprise the advisory committee.

The Geriatric Medicine Fellowship offers a well-rounded educational experience. All key teaching faculty are geriatric fellowship trained geriatricians/internists. A Ph.D. neuroscientist, a gerontological nurse practitioner, gerontological educational specialist and physician's assistant also support the fellowship.

Selection criteria for the Geriatric Medicine Fellowship:

• Completion of accredited Internal Medicine Residency Program.
• Board-certified or board eligible by the American Board of Internal Medicine in the specialty of Internal Medicine.
• Eligible for temporary or permanent medical licensure in the Commonwealth of Virginia.
• Hold a valid ECFMG Certificate, if foreign medical school graduate.
• Proficient in speaking and writing English.
• Intention to register for the geriatric examination upon completing the geriatric medicine fellowship and to successfully attain added qualifications in Geriatric Medicine.
• Able to remain in the United States; ability to obtain proper visa for training.
• Enthusiasm for teaching geriatrics to medical students, residents.
• Interest in gerontological or geriatric medicine research and patient care.
• Personal statement of professional goals in geriatric medicine.
• Submission of three reference letters supporting the candidate's application.
• Completion of interview by program director and panel of geriatric medicine and gerontology faculty.

Curriculum

Clinical Components

• Inpatient Palliative Care and Pain Management Consultation Service-one month at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital
• Geriatric Trauma Team Consultation Service- one month at  Sentara Norfolk General Hospital
• Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation-one month at  Sentara Norfolk General Hospital
• Geriatric Psychiatry-one month at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital
• Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation-five months at Lake Taylor Transitional Care Hospital
• Home-Based Primary Care-one month at the VA in Hampton, Virginia
• Primary Care-52 weeks (longitudinal experience during the fellowship) at EVMS
• Long-term Care-52 weeks (longitudinal experience during the fellowship) at Lake Taylor Transitional Care Hospital

Didactic Components

• Fellows' Conferences
• Journal Clubs
• Board Reviews
• Chart Stimulated Reviews
• Geriatrics Sit Down Rounds
• Internal Medicine Grand Rounds
• Virginia Geriatrics Society (VGS)
• VGS Annual Conference
• Attend (one) national conference or symposium each year, e.g., American Geriatrics Society, Gerontological Society of America.
• EVMS Faculty Development Series
• EVMS Research Day
• EVMS Practice Management Course
• Ethics Committee at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital

Supervisory Responsibility

Geriatric medicine fellows supervise medicine residents, interns, medical students and other health professions' students such as physician assistant trainees and nurse practitioners. Geriatric medicine fellows serve as mentors and advisors to SAGE (Student Associate of Geriatric Enthusiasts), the student chapter of the American Geriatrics Society. Geriatric fellows develop and deliver a lecture as part of the M-4 Geriatric Clerkship and will serve as preceptors for M-2 students' long-term care experience.

Patient Care Responsibility

Geriatric medicine fellows care for a spectrum of aged men and women in a variety of settings. The curriculum provides experience as a primary care provider and consultant to healthy, as well as acutely and chronically ill, elderly patients in outpatient, inpatient, skilled nursing care, long-term care and home care settings.

For more information, please contact:

Madeline Dunstan, MS
Associate Director of Education
Glennan Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology
Hofheimer Hall, Suite 201
825 Fairfax Avenue
Norfolk, Virginia 23507

Phone: (757) 446-7436           Fax: (757) 446-7049
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