Geriatric Medicine

Background

The Residency Review Committee (RRC) for family practice accredits the Geriatric Medicine Fellowship Program at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center.  Successful completion of the fellowship program leads to eligibility to sit for the geriatric medicine added qualifications examination of the American Board of Family Practice and the American Board of Internal Medicine.
 
The University of Cincinnati fellowship program utilizes the clinical and academic resources of the Health Alliance of Greater Cincinnati (The University Hospital, The Christ Hospital, The Jewish Hospital, The St. Luke Hospitals and The Fort Hamilton Hospital).  Fellows also have the opportunity to train at Maple Knoll Village one of the nation’s finest continuing care retirement communities.
 
The goal of the fellowship program is to prepare internists and family physicians for clinical, administrative and/or academic careers in geriatric medicine.  Given the complex nature of the field, we believe it is not possible to create one curriculum that would satisfy the needs of every fellow.  Within the framework of the RRC guidelines, individual curriculum development is facilitated.  At this time, we are accepting applicants for a one-year clinical program that leads to eligibility for ABFP/ABIM certification, with an option to continue for a second year of academic training.
 
The fellowship program anticipates selecting four candidates for first-year positions to begin July 2008.

Applicant Eligibility

In order to be appointed as a fellow, candidates must be eligible for the Family Practice or Internal Medicine primary board examination.  Successful completion of all three steps of USMLE is required prior to beginning the fellowship. Applicants must be able to obtain a training license or full medical practice license in Ohio.  Graduates of the program are expected to sit for the Certificate of Added Qualifications examination in geriatric medicine.

Curriculum

One-Year Clinical Program

Fellows in the one-year clinical program spend 12 months in longitudinal and block clinical rotations.  A ten-month series of clinical geriatric medicine conferences are required.  In addition, fellows participate in a conference series to improve skills in the medical literature, clinical teaching and administrative skills.  Examples of block rotations include community geriatrics, inpatient and outpatient geriatric psychiatry, geriatric rehabilitation, neurology, audiology/ENT, and ophthalmology and inpatient medical consultations.  Examples of longitudinal rotations include primary care, geriatric medicine outpatient assessment, nursing home and retirement home rounds.

Two-Year Clinical/Academic Program

Fellows with an interest in further academic training may be invited during their first fellowship year, to apply for a second year of clinical/academic training.  This time can consist of any possible combination of clinical, teaching, clinical research, basic research or administrative experiences.  The fellow, the selected research preceptor and the program director develop this portion of the program.  In past years, some fellows have chosen to spend one or two months studying at another institution in the United States or abroad.

Salary and Benefits

Fellows are full-time house staff of an affiliated hospital.  The PGY-4 salary for 2008-2009 is expected to be approximately $48,903.  Four weeks of vacation and health insurance are part of the current benefits package.  Fellows are encouraged to attend national geriatric medicine meetings.  Travel support is available for these meetings.
 
Cincinnati has numerous cultural resources from music festivals and professional sport teams to excellent museums and a world-class zoological park.  Outstanding restaurants and entertainment centers are available throughout the area.  The cost of living is moderate and the local public school systems are outstanding.

Faculty and Resources

The fellowship program faculty includes seven fellowship-trained CAQ geriatricians from the Departments of Family Medicine and Internal Medicine.  In addition, several other clinical faculty have CAQs in geriatric medicine.  Other core physician faculty are from the Departments of Psychiatry, Neurology and Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.  The fellowship is integrated with the existing geriatric psychiatry fellowship program.  Interdisciplinary faculty from nursing, social work and pharmacy play active roles in fellowship training.  The entire clinical and academic resources of the University of Cincinnati Medical Center and the Health Alliance of Greater Cincinnati are available to the fellows.

Application Procedures

Applicants can apply for a position in the 2008-2009 UC/Christ Hospital Geriatric Medicine Fellowship Training Program through the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS) at www.aamc.org/eras.  We require your application, personal statement, and three letters of recommendation (one must be from the residency director).
 
Once your application is reviewed by the Selection Committee, you will be contacted to schedule an interview.  Contact Sharon Harding at hardinsc@fammed.uc.edu or phone at 513-584-0650 with questions.
 
Thank you very much for your interest in our Geriatric Medicine Fellowship Program.

Gregg Warshaw, M.D.
Martha Betty Semmons Professor of Geriatric Medicine
Director, Geriatric Medicine Fellowship Program
University of Cincinnati Medical Center
231 Albert Sabin Way
PO Box 670504
Cincinnati, OH 45267-0504

Phone: (513) 584-0650
FAX: (513) 584-2809
E-mail: warshaga@fammed.uc.edu
Geriatrics Website - http://www.geriatrics.uc.edu
 
Pre-Employment Drug Screening and Investigative Inquiry
 
All offers to join The Christ Hospital/University of Cincinnati College of Medicine residency/clinical fellowship training program, including those through a national matching program, such as the NRMP or by the Department Chairman or Program Director are considered conditional.  The conditional offer is based upon satisfactorily passing a drug screen test and a pre-employment inquiry concerning criminal history.  Refusal to sign the consent form for the drug screen and/or investigative inquiry will result in the withdrawal of employment.