Geriatric Medicine Fellowship Program

Customized Learning and Teaching 

After our fellows’ own well-being, education is our top priority. Because our clinical services do not rely on our fellows for coverage, learning is prioritized over clinical needs. 

Some unique aspects of our program are highlighted below: 

July Bootcamp 
July is dedicated to establishing a foundation in geriatric fundamentals through intensive didactics, hands-on learning, simulation, interdisciplinary teamwork training, career development, relationship building, and fun. July Bootcamp facilitates rapid growth in our fellows’ geriatric knowledge, skills, and competencies so that they can have a solid foundation on which to build for the rest of their training program. 

Teaching Opportunities 

Medical School 

• Preceptor for first-year medical students during Physical Diagnosis standardized patient encounters 
• Clinical preceptor on the ACE Unit for second-year clerkship students 
• Small group teacher for senior medical students during Healthy Aging & Quality Dying Integrated Science Course 
• Clinical preceptor at various sites during Advanced Clinic Elective 
• Clinical preceptor on the ACE Unit for Acting Internship students 

Graduate Medical Education 

• Teacher for outpatient geriatrics didactics for Internal Medicine and PM&R residents
• Teacher for ACE Unit FACETS curriculum
• Geriatric Workforce Enhancement Program  
• Eleven sites with various educational ongoing projects 

Technology and Innovation 

Resources abound for educational innovation and the integration of innovative technology into learning at our fellowship program, including: 

Simulation 
Our fellows give top-notch feedback on training received annually at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine Center for Experiential Learning and Assessment (CELA). Through encounters with standardized patients, our fellows also have the opportunity to serve as teachers for medical students who see standardized patients at CELA. 

Flipping the Acute Care for Elders Teaching Sessions (FACETS)
The FACETS curriculum is a flipped-classroom curriculum that uses educational YouTube videos to engage learners on the ACE Unit in peer teaching. Our fellows participate in a medical course on how to facilitate the curriculum during July. They teach these sessions with students and residents during the ACE Unit rotation:

• FACETS - checkout the curriculum on the Homepage 
• For more information on FACETS, see our publication in JAGS.

GERI-A-FLOAT 

Vanderbilt is a proud co-founder and participant of GERI-A-FLOAT (GERIAtric Fellows Learning Online And Together). Founded as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic’s challenges to fellows’ educational opportunities and well-being, we partnered with programs across the country to develop GERI-A-FLOAT, a series of weekly educational, online meetings that connect fellows across the country. GERI-A-FLOAT continues today.

Maria (Mariu) Carlo Duggan, MD, MPH, Director of the Vanderbilt Geriatric Medicine Fellowship Program, continues to co-direct GERI-A-FLOAT, participating often on this national learning platform. 

The goals of GERI-A-FLOAT are twofold: 

• To deepen knowledge of topics related to geriatric medicine through shared online learning between fellowship programs 
• To combat the social isolation and mental health effects of the COVID-19 pandemic in fellows through networking and peer support 

 To access current, past, and future GERI-A-FLOAT sessions, please visit our website.

For more information on GERI-A-FLOAT, see our publication in JAGS.

A combination of longitudinal, block, and elective opportunities provides a broad educational perspective over 20 different sites of care: 

• Vanderbilt University Hospital’s Acute Care for Elderly (ACE) Unit  
• Inpatient geriatrics consult service 
• Vanderbilt-affiliated nursing homes 
• VA and Vanderbilt outpatient geriatric primary and consultative care 
• VA and Vanderbilt subspecialty opportunities in Wound Care, Geriatric Psychiatry, Neurology, Rheumatology, Endocrinology, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Perioperative Medicine, Autonomics, Urology, and other elective specialties 
• Hospice and Palliative Medicine 
• Home care and community health

Our fellows have on average one half-day per week throughout the year and additionally one month dedicated to pursuing a scholarly project.  

Fellows are mentored by the Center for Quality Aging faculty (geriatrics, gerontology, cardiology, pulmonary and critical care, general medicine and preventive health, emergency medicine, psychiatry, neurology, ID, pharmacy, nursing) and/or other Vanderbilt faculty of choice. 

Our fellows submit an abstract to a national meeting, typically AGS and/or AMDA. Preapproved expenses for one conference per year are covered.

Geriatric Medicine Division Fellowship Didactic Series

Starting in August, our fellows participate in Didactics three days per week. During this time, we use a variety of learning modalities—workshops, interactive lectures, flipped-classroom, peer teaching, games, and standardized patient encounters.  

We cover core geriatric principles and medical management, educator skills, leadership skills, and career development throughout the year. Our fellows also occasionally learn alongside the Hospice & Palliative Medicine fellows during these didactics. 

Other Conferences

Our fellows participate in various other conferences: 

• VUMC Geriatric Medicine Division Grand Rounds & MMI, twice monthly* 
• VA’s Geriatrics and Extended Care regional conference, monthly* 
• Interdepartmental didactics with Geriatric Psychiatry and Cognitive Behavior Neurology fellows, monthly  
• National Meetings (AMDA and AGS) 

*Each fellow has an opportunity to present a topic of their interest during these conferences.

We accept applications through the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS). 

We participate in the National Residency Matching Program (NRMP) Medical Specialties Match. 

There are four (4) available positions annually for our Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) continuously accredited training program. 

Our program ACGME ID# is 1514721125. 

Requirements to apply: 

• Anticipated completion of an ACGME-accredited Internal Medicine or Family Medicine residency program 
• ACGME International (ACGME-I) applicants welcome 
• MD or DO degree 
• J-1 or H1B visa-eligible, if a non-U.S. citizen (institution will sponsor on a case-by-case basis) 

Required application materials include: 

• ERAS application 
• Personal statement 
• Medical school transcript / Medical School Performance Evaluation (MSPE) 
• USMLE / COMLEX scores 
• Three (3) letters of recommendation (at least one letter from a residency program director) 

Housestaff eligibility and selection policy: VUMC GME House Staff Manual  

For an applicant introduction, see Vanderbilt's GME Office