Fellows attend an academic half day, which includes a variety of conferences and symposia (included below) to gain critical knowledge and skills for practice and careers in geriatric medicine.
Core Program Didactic Curricula
Bootcamp
Fellows hit the ground running with our “Bootcamp” series in July. This 6-session program was developed to introduce new fellows to the tools they need for comprehensive geriatric assessments in various care settings.
Core Curriculum
This didactic series spans the first six months of fellowship. Fellows learn from experts at Duke and the Durham VA in order to prepare them for clinical practice and the geriatric medicine boards.
Evidence-based Medicine in Geriatrics
In this 8-part series of interactive didactics with case applications, fellows learn the practice and application of Evidence Based Medicine in geriatrics.
Quality Improvement Course
In the QI Workshop, fellows learn QI concepts and design projects to implement in their clinical settings. They are coached throughout the year, and many fellows present their results at the American Geriatrics Society or Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care National Meetings.
Palliative Care Series
Fellows learn key topics in palliative care, including pain management, non-pain symptom management, communication skills, psychosocial care, and understanding systems of care. Fellows also complete Vital Talk training alongside Duke Palliative Care Fellows, to hone their communication skills.
Community and Person-Centered Care
Advanced learners in geriatric medicine work with Duke faculty and Durham community leaders to explore the linkages between biopsychosocial factors and community-centered care for older adults. Participants take a closer look at Durham and the interplay between community partners and the health care system. Participants also examine a variety of ways in which the people of Durham have demonstrated initiative and ingenuity in identifying and addressing gaps in health care.
Advance Course in Long Term Care
This spring semester series covers key topics in long term care, including medical directorship, team building, and nursing home litigation.
Fellow Conferences
During the second half of the year, fellows present clinical topics of their choosing to an audience of faculty, peers, and interdisciplinary learners.
In addition to Geriatric medicine fellows, conferences are attended by trainees from a variety of other programs, including geriatric nurse practitioner residents, geriatric physical and occupational therapy residents, geriatric pharmacy residents, and trainees from the internal medicine residency, making these conferences excellent multi-disciplinary learning opportunities.
Weekly Conferences
Geriatric Grand Rounds: Formal presentation of a major topic in geriatrics and gerontology. The conference is attended by geriatrics faculty and learners, as well as interprofessional team members including geriatric resource nurses and community members. Geriatrics grand rounds also include periodic Works in Progress presentations by geriatrics and palliative care faculty.
Medicine Grand Rounds: Topics requested by members of the Department of Medicine are selected by Chief Medical Residents, the Department Chair, and representatives from Continuing Medical Education
"There were so many research opportunities during my fellowship year that it was difficult to pick just one! I was lucky to be able to participate in both a QI project through the VA and a process evaluation for the GWEP’s outpatient Interdisciplinary Care Team (a project that involved both Duke and Durham resources). It was an interesting year."
Karen Rhea, MD, Fellowship Alumni