UCLA Combined Geriatric Medicine-Palliative Care Fellowship
General Overview
Since July, 2020, VA-UCLA proudly offers an innovative, completely integrated, two-year Geriatric, Hospice, and Palliative Medicine Combined Fellowship through the American Board of Internal Medicine Competency-Based Medical Education pilot program.
The combined fellowship integrates training for the core competencies in Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine as well as allowing increased scholarly time to devote to clinical and academic interests. Our goal is to develop physician leaders in the care of older adults with serious illness, and fellows pursuing this track are frequently interested in careers in leadership or academics. At the end of the two-year combined fellowship, fellows are eligible for board certification in both Geriatrics and Hospice and Palliative Medicine.
Clinical Training
Integrated throughout the two years, the fellows will complete 8 blocks of Geriatrics, 8 blocks of Hospice and Palliative Medicine, and 8 blocks of scholarly activity in research, education, administration, or quality improvement. This protect time for scholarly activity is unique to this track and prepares the fellow to take on leadership positions in the fields of Geriatric and Hospice and Palliative Medicine. Further information about each rotation is listed on the and the .
Clinical Blocks (4 weeks)
| Geriatrics | Palliative Care |
|---|---|
| UCLA Nursing Home (1 block) | West Los Angeles VA Palliative Consult Service (1 block) |
| UCLA Outpatient (0.5 block) | UCLA-Santa Monica Palliative Consult Service (2 blocks) |
| UCLA Geriatric Consult Service (1 block) | UCLA-Ronald Reagan Palliative Consult Service (2 blocks) |
| UCLA-Harbor County Hospital Geriatric Consults (1 block) | Hospice Unit of Greater Los Angeles-Sepulveda (1 block) |
| Community Living Center (CLC)-West Los Angeles VA (1 block) | Community Hospice (2 blocks) |
| Acute Geriatric Team-West Los Angeles VA (1 block) | |
| Geriatric Psychiatry-West Los Angeles VA (1 block) | |
| Geriatric Rehabilitation-West Los Angeles VA (0.5 block) | |
| Home Based Primary Care-Sepulveda VA (1 block) |
Continuity Clinics
| Year 1 - Geriatrics | Year 2 - Palliative Care |
|---|---|
| Geriatrics Continuity Clinic (VA or UCLA) | West Los Angeles VA Palliative Care Clinic + Opportunities to continue continuity from Year 1 based on clinic availability |
| Long Term Nursing Home | |
| Home Care |
Scholarly Projects
To support our goal of training physician leaders, eight months are devoted to mentored projects in research, quality improvement, or education, our goal. The goal is to disseminate the results of the fellows’ scholarly activities both locally and nationally.
Prior fellow projects include:
Didactics
- Year 1: Geriatrics Thursday Lecture Series
Lecture series for all geriatric fellows that occur for two hours every Thursday afternoon - Year 2: HPM Friday Lecture Series
Lecture series for all HPM fellows that occur for two hours every Friday afternoon - Journal Club
Geriatric journal clubs are held twice a month at 8 a.m. on Fridays.
HPM journal clubs are held during HPM Friday Lecture Series. - UCLA Intensive Course in Geriatric Medicine + Pharmacy Board Review
- Monthly Geriatric Grand Rounds
- Quarterly Palliative Care Quality Assurances Case Conference
- Geriatric Medical Law Course
- National Meetings
We encourage and provide support for all fellows to attend a national geriatric or hospice and palliative medicine meeting such as AGS, AAHPM, AMDA, or AAHCM
Reflections
We believe that reflective practice is essential and important in becoming more humane and better clinicians. By cultivating mindfulness in the ways we think, feel, and respond to situations by looking back at an experience, action, or event, we are able to draw insight and revise or better our practice. This is different than purely focusing on the foundations of skills and knowledge but rather an individual commitment to curiosity, openness, and willingness to change. During the second year of fellowship, the GeriPal fellow will attend the weekly 1-hour HPM fellowship group reflection after a HPM Friday Lecture Series
Leadership Training
We are proud to support and strengthen collaboration efforts with Mount Sinai and UCSF through virtual involvement of our GeriPal Year 2 fellow in their innovative longitudinal leadership development program.
Program Logistics
- First year is PGY-4 status, and second year is PGY-5 status.
- Please see our website for more information on program logistics
How to Apply
- We are committed to a holistic review of each applicant and welcome candidates from all backgrounds, sexual orientation, race, religion, and cultures. Being different makes us stronger!
- We seek self-motivated individuals with great interpersonal skills and a strong drive to be at the forefront of clinical medicine, research, and/or policy creation.
- Candidates for this fellowship track are required to complete three years of Internal Medicine or Family Medicine residency training at an accredited program within the United States before the start of the fellowship program.
- Applications are accepted through the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS). The track can be accessed either through the Geriatrics or Hospice and Palliative Medicine fellowship application link. Please select UCLA Combined Geriatric-Palliative-2yr track.
- We select fellows through the National Residency Match Program (NRMP).
- J1 Visa holders are welcome to apply.
- We typically interview between 12 and 16 applicants.
- We currently accept 1 fellow into this track each year.
Contact
Robin Catino
Program Coordinator
Angela Yeh, DO
Program Director