The Geriatrics AOC is one of several supracurricular, four year programs sponsored by the Pitt School of Medicine. The goal of the Geriatrics AOC is to promote interest in the effects of age on health and health care, and is relevant to students with a broad range of career plans.
Program Activities by Year
GEMS:
A year long series of monthly group meetings and monthly visits with an assigned older adult. Students will have the opportunity to learn about the experience of aging, gain interview and evaluation skills targeted at older adults and to understand how to use health system services on behalf of older adults. MS1 and MS2 students are eligible to participate. Minimum participation is at least 3 home visits and 3 group sessions. This activity provides credit in the MS2 Clinical Experiences program This program is coordinated by Andrea Fox MD and Stephanie Studenski MD.
Summer program in aging research:
MSTAR (Medical Student Training in Aging Research)
A federally funded 8-10 week, paid research experience. Participants have completed the first year of medical school. They develop a research plan with the assistance of a mentor in the 6 months prior to the summer program, carry out plans during the summer and present their findings at an end-of-summer event. Students participate in weekly group sessions and have the option of exploring clinical activities and other research settings. There are over 50 participating mentors with a broad range of interests. This program also sponsors a paid trip to a national meetings of the American Geriatrics Society each May, where the student will present their work and meet with students and faculty from across the nation. The geriatric psychiatry portion of the program emphasizes the completion of a manuscript for publication within the summer time frame while the geriatrics portion emphasizes direct participation in research and interaction with older adults, with the preparation of a publishable abstract and presentation. Participants are able to complete the majority of the work required to meet the expectations of the Pitt Scholarly Project. The MSTAR program is coordinated by Stephanie Studenski and Charles Reynolds
Geriatrics noon case series:
This is a series of monthly noontime case presentations linked to the second year block curriculum. Cases are presented in the format used by all physicians to evaluate patient problems. The goals of the program are to provide clinical correlation with the block curriculum, highlight how health issues differ among the aged, provide experience with the standard clinical approach to differential diagnosis and treatment planning, and to incorporate a biopsychosocial perspective into patient care of the older adult. MS1 and MS2 students are welcome to attend.
Clinical Experience in Geriatrics.
There are now 6 options available for clinical rotations in geriatrics. These include 1) a geriatrics selective during the MS3 CAMC, 2 and 3) a geriatrics sponsor for the MS3 CAMC Internal Medicine required rotation at either Benedum Clinic at Montefiore Hospital or the Senior Care Clinic at Shadyside, 4 and 5) a geriatrics inpatient internal medicine rotation during the required internal medicine MS3 rotation on the inpatient geriatrics services at Presbyterian Hospital or Shadyside Hospital and 6) a geriatrics clinical elective in the MS4 year. All outpatient rotations provide exposure to ambulatory and long term care settings.
Geriatrics Elective
An MS4 geriatrics elective can be used to pursue individual interests such as new or continuing research activities, community program development, or visits to other institutions to pursue aging related interests. This elective can provide an opportunity to complete work on the Scholarly Project and produce a final manuscript for publication, if desired. A special all- expenses paid summer program in geriatrics funded by the NIH is held every year at Boston University in June and can be accommodated within this elective.
AOC programs for all years
The AOC sponsors a series of evening and noon programs that include special topics and visiting speakers. The program starts with a welcome event in the early autumn, then sponsors a special session on summer research opportunities. We are planning monthly evening activities December through March this year.
Year long program in geriatrics research
For students with a strong interest in aging research, this new program offers a paid, year long individualized program that can include graduate coursework in research as well as time to pursue a research question of interest. Most awardees will have completed the MSTAR program. Positions in this program are limited, so inquire early.
Optional alternatives to complete a Scholarly Project for the Geriatrics AOC
For students who would like to develop a scholarly project in geriatrics without the summer MSTAR program, alternative options can be considered at Pitt or elsewhere. Please contact Stephanie Studenski to explore this option.