Welcome to the University of Pennsylvania Geriatric Medicine Fellowship!
Since 1978, our comprehensive training program, led by a dedicated, and highly skilled faculty, has prepared over 140 trainees with the clinical experience, medical education skills, research expertise, and leadership development, needed to advance the next generation of healthcare for older adults.
We take pride in ensuring that each graduate of our program is fully equipped to provide exceptional patient care, lead educational initiatives, and shape the future of geriatrics in a variety of settings. Our fellows go on to impactful careers in academic medicine and private practice, working in geriatric outpatient settings, specialized hospital inpatient units and geriatric consult services, long-term care and skilled nursing facilities, Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) centers, and patients’ homes. Many serve as medical directors, medical school faculty, Division Chiefs, program developers, researchers, consultants, and advocates both nationally and internationally.
A Dynamic Training Experience
Our curriculum offers a well-rounded foundation in clinical geriatrics at multiple sites of care while providing hands-on experience in quality improvement, interprofessional collaboration, and medical education. Fellows train alongside nurse practitioners, social workers, occupational and physical therapists, dietitians, case managers, and specialist colleagues to inform care decisions and enhance the quality of life for older adults.
Robust Leadership & Scholarship Opportunities
We emphasize leadership development, equipping fellows with the skills to take on administrative, teaching, advocacy, and policy-making roles in geriatrics. Fellows participate in a leadership book club with our Division Chief and are given protected time to participate in the national AGS/ADGAP Leadership and Life Skills Curriculum. Fellows engage in scholarly projects, including medical education, health systems innovation, and age friendly research supported by our Division of Geriatrics faculty. They have the opportunity to attend and present their work at national meetings.
Personalized Mentorship
In addition to mentorship from our Program Director and Associate Program Director, each of our fellows is paired with an additional program mentor based on specific career interests. The mentor-mentee pair meet formally throughout the year to discuss topics such as adjusting to fellowship, career planning, developing scholarly interests, and networking.
Varied Training Sites & Academic Resources
Fellows train primarily at Penn Presbyterian Medical Center and the Philadelphia Veterans Affairs Medical Center, in addition to community nursing facilities. As part of this, we are fortunate to have an Acute Care for Elders (ACE) Unit, one of just 43 in the nation. This also serves as a teaching service where our fellows assist in the education of a variety of trainees including residents and medical students.
As part of the University of Pennsylvania’s community our fellows have access to unparalleled academic resources, mentorship, and groundbreaking clinical research spanning multiple disciplines.
Recent Program Achievements:
- Development of innovative curricula in medical education and faculty development, preparing fellows to become future leaders in geriatric education.
- Expansion of quality improvement initiatives aimed at improving care of older adults.
- Increased opportunities for fellows to present at national conferences, publish research, and engage in interdisciplinary collaborations.
- Strengthened partnerships with community-based aging organizations to enhance patient-centered care and advocacy efforts.
- Receipt of Geriatric Workforce Enhancement Program (GWEP) to fund AGE SMART initiative which provides funding for an optional second year of fellowship training.
At Penn Medicine, we are committed to excellence and innovation in geriatric care. We look forward to learning more about you and your potential to join us as a future leader in Geriatric Medicine!
Alyson Michener, MD
Program Director