Graduates of the ACGME-accredited Combined Internal Medicine and Geriatrics Residency are eligible to take the Internal Medicine certification exam from the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) or the American Osteopathic Board of Internal Medicine (AOBIM) after completing the three-year Internal Medicine residency. Upon successfully completing the 12-month Geriatric Medicine Fellowship in Year 4, trainees are well-equipped to attain a certification in the subspecialty of Geriatric Medicine from the ABIM or the AOBIM.

The curriculum for the first three years of residency training (shown below) closely mirrors the Internal Medicine Residency curriculum; however, trainees devote one month of electives each year to a Geriatric Medicine rotation in the Glennan Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology. Our residents also have a longitudinal experience for a half-day each month at Beth Sholom Village's Berger-Goldrich Home.

Rotations take place at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital (SNGH), Hampton Veterans Affairs Medical Center (VAMC), Sentara Leigh Hospital (SLH) and Sentara Ambulatory Care Clinic.

PGY1

An example clinical rotations schedule for a first-year resident

PGY2

An example clinical rotations schedule for a second-year resident

PGY3

An example clinical rotations schedule for a third-year resident

Explore our Geriatric Medicine Fellowship curriculum for PGY4 information.

Opportunities in the program include:

  • Research mentoring with geriatricians during all four years of the program including hypothesis development, project design and development, guidance with IRB application and approval process, assistance with data collection and analysis and support with manuscripts, abstracts and publications.
  • Financial support for travel to state and national conferences.
  • Longitudinal experience in a post-acute care setting starting by mid-year in the first year.
  • Progressive responsibility in the clinic, teaching other health professions students and serving on institutional committees such as with QA/QI and patient safety initiatives.
  • Participation in professional organizations that foster interest in geriatric medicine as a career and provide opportunities for our trainees to become the next leaders in geriatric medicine. These include the American Geriatrics Society, The Virginia Geriatrics Society and The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine.
  • Community and school outreach with participation in Students for the Advancement of Geriatric Education (S.A.G.E.) and Beyond Clinic Walls, which are open to students, residents and fellows with an interest in geriatric patient care, education, research and contemporary issues facing the aging population.

Residents are encouraged to participate in community outreach events during their training as time permits, including monthly Geriatric Sit Down Rounds, an interprofessional patient presentation series.