Curriculum Overview
The BCM Geriatrics Fellowship Program provides robust geriatrics education and training experiences. Each July, fellows participate in a month-long geriatrics immersion course covering core geriatric syndromes and defining goals of care. The intent of this course is to introduce fellows to essential geriatric topics and ensure that they are familiar with many of the issues they will encounter during their clinical rotations. Throughout the remainder of the year, these topics are covered in greater breadth and depth, with trainees participating in Geriatrics grand rounds, morbidity and mortality conference, journal club/research course, medical education series, art of presentation series, case conferences and a board review course.
In addition, fellows collaborate in a group quality improvement project. Recent projects have focused on medication safety in long-term care and standardization of outpatient practices around bone health. Each fellow completes an individual academic project that they present at local and national meetings.
They are also mentored in submitting their work for publication. Fellows typically attend the annual American Geriatrics Society or the Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine conference.
Sample Block Schedule
Month |
Rotation |
Primary Attending |
---|---|---|
July |
Acute Care Geriatrics (4 weeks) Houston Methodist Hospital |
George Taffet, M.D. |
August |
VA Home Visits (3 weeks) Houston Hospice (1 week) Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center |
Meenu Jacobs, M.D. Elizabeth Strauch, M.D. |
September |
VA Intermediate Care - Skilled Nursing Facility Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center |
Kristen Gateno, M.D. |
October |
Harris Health Consults & Home Visits (4 weeks) Harris Health – Ben Taub Hospital |
Kim Johnson, N.P. |
November |
Neurology – Movement Disorder (2 weeks) Wound Care (2 weeks) Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center |
Aliya Sarwar, M.D. Aimee Garcia, M.D. |
December |
VA Geriatric Psychiatry/GeroPsychology (4 weeks) Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center |
Aaron Short, M.D. |
January |
Acute Care Geriatrics (4 weeks) Houston Methodist Hospital |
Geraldine Salmeron, M.D. |
February |
Medical Director (2 weeks) Academic elective (2 weeks) Houston Methodist Hospital |
Joe Trumble, M.D. |
March |
Complex Care Coordination Service Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center |
Angela Catic, M.D. |
April |
Harris Health Consults & Home Visits (4 weeks) Harris Health – Ben Taub Hospital |
Kim Johnson, N.P. |
May |
Quality Improvement & Patient Safety (2 weeks) Houston Methodist Hospital Geriatric Comanagement Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center |
Kathryn Agarwal, M.D. Mahveen Sohail, M.D. |
June |
VA Hospice and Palliative Care - Consult and Inpatient Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center |
Ursula Braun, M.D. |
Note: Skilled Nursing Facility months include time in Wound Care
Continuity
- VA Outpatient Geriatrics Clinic – ½ day per week, except during Acute Care months. Can be customized based on the interest of trainee.
- McNair Senior Care Clinic – ½ day per week
- St. Dominic Village – ½ day every other month
Immersion Course
Date | Topic | Speaker |
---|---|---|
Tuesday | Physiology of Aging | George Taffet |
Wednesday | Telephonic Call | Angela Catic |
Tuesday | Geriatric Assessment | Angela Catic |
Wednesday | PPC Training | Aanand Naik |
Thursday | End of Life Conversations/LST Note | Angela Catic |
Tuesday | Delirium | Kathryn Agarwal |
Wednesday | Depression and Anxiety in the Elderly | Mark Kunik |
Thursday | Introduction to Dementia | Angela Catic |
Tuesday | Wound Care for the PCP | Catalina Macias |
Wednesday | Capacity Assessment | Aanand Naik |
Thursday | Pain in the Elderly | Ursula Braun |