Curriculum: Geriatrics

The University of Connecticut has a national reputation as a leader in geriatric education and research. It is one of the seven sites that have been nationally selected by the John A. Hartford Foundation to develop an integrated geriatric curriculum for General Internal Medicine residents. The Travelers Center on Aging was a recipient of the prestigious Pepper Center Award from the National Institute of Aging.

PGY1 Geriatric Medicine Rotation: Introduction to Geriatrics and Long-term Care

Team Structure

  • The rotation occurs at a combined long-term, acute care, and outpatient care setting with several faculty geriatricians on site.
  • Interns see patients in the context of multidisciplinary teams.

Call

  • None.

Workload

  • Interns work Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Interns follow at least one patient longitudinally and care for numerous patients with new problems.

Responsibilities

  • Provide care to selected patients under the supervision of the faculty geriatrician supervision.
  • Assess patients with valid instruments, such as mini-mental status examination, geriatric depression scale, get-up-and-go, and activities of daily living.

Patient Population

  • Primarily older and with multiple medical conditions and geriatric syndromes.

Educational Activities

  • Syllabus (readings) and practical experience using assessment instruments and websites.
  • Eleven case-based conferences with Center on Aging faculty.

PGY3 Geriatric Medicine Rotation: Outpatient and Consultation Geriatrics

Team Structure

  • Residents see patients in geriatric clinics with faculty geriatrician supervision.
  • Geriatric fellows and medical students usually participate.

Call

  • None.

Workload

  • Residents work Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Residents attend clinics at UConn Health and the Newington Veterans Administration Hospital.

Responsibilities

  • Residents manage older patients in a variety of clinics (Frail Elders, Osteoporosis, Older Women's).
  • Residents perform geriatric assessment and evaluate common geriatric syndromes (for example: dementia, depression, falls, osteoporosis, weight loss, sensory loss).

Patient Population

  • Residents see patients in geriatric clinics with faculty geriatrician supervision.
  • Geriatric fellows and medical students usually participate.

Educational Activities

  • Syllabus (readings) and practical experience using assessment instruments and websites.