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Indiana University School of Medicine
Department of Medicine

Geriatric Medicine Fellowship Training

The Geriatrics Fellowship Program at IU School of Medicine is a vibrant program. Training occurs within the Department of Medicine, Division of General Internal Medicine and Geriatrics via the ERAS Match. Fellows benefit from the expertise of faculty who are part of a division dedicated to geriatric medicine. Many first-year fellows enjoy developing the required clinical skills to become a board-certified geriatrician.

Some choose to do an additional year(s), focusing on teaching, research, or leadership. Funding for formal coursework is available under the CITE program, Academy of Teaching Scholars, and Center for Teaching and Learning. Mentorship is provided by nationally and internationally recognized clinicians, clinician-educators and clinician-researchers to ensure success. Current internal/external fellows who are interested in completing an advanced year fellowship program must email the Fellowship Coordinator, as this experience is separate from the match.

Others may choose a two-year combined Geriatric/Palliative Care fellowship via ERAS Match. In this two-year program, a special emphasis is placed on interprofessional, complex needs of older adults and a holistic approach for the patient and the caregivers. The curriculum includes 16 months of clinical experiences with 8 months of professional development offered.

If you have any questions regarding any of the three options above, please email the Fellowship Coordinator.

Clinical Training

Clinical training for Geriatric fellows occurs in three unique hospital settings, Eskenazi Health Hospital, Roudebush VA Medical Center, and IU Health Methodist Hospital, where fellows see patients across the continuum of care.

        

Block Rotations

  • ACE-Acute Care for Elders, an inpatient consult service
  • Inpatient Acute Rehabilitation
  • Skilled Nursing Facility
  • Inpatient Palliative Care                                                    
  • Geriatric Psychiatry
  • Subspecialty Electives

Longitudinal Experiences     

  • Primary Care Clinic
  • Consult Clinic
  • Long-term Care
  • Housecalls                                              
  • Center for Aging Brain

Fellow Teaching Opportunities

  • Resident clinical and small group conferences
  • Fellow led conferences using GRS Syllabus
  • QI Project Presentation
  • Interdisciplinary Care Conferences

Alumni Testimonials

  • Past Fellows Tell Us...

    Why IU Geriatric Fellowship?

    “I chose the IU School of Medicine Geriatric Fellowship because it offered the valuable training experiences of an academic medical center while fostering a culture of support and mentorship that would typically be associated with smaller programs."

    "In my opinion, the most rewarding aspect of the program was the opportunity to work with so many different faculty members throughout the academic year. Each preceptor provided quality education and helpful perspectives regarding both patient care and career development."

    "The advice that I have for potential candidates is to come to your interview day with an open mind and plenty of questions! Don’t be afraid to ask faculty, current fellows, the program coordinator, nurses, or any other team members you meet to address or clarify anything that might help you make this important decision."

    "My passion for Geriatrics stemmed from close relationships with my grandparents and witnessing their vastly differing experiences as they aged, and has continued to grow over the course of my training due to the opportunity to care for and learn from older adults and their families."

    Why are you passionate about Geriatrics?

    “Being trained as a primary care physician I felt limited in the ability to help my most vulnerable and undeserved patients. I felt the need to get additional training, and IU was the perfect place to get this. I felt impressed that even while interviewing in other top-notch programs, some of my persons that were interviewing me mentioned wonderful things about IU-Geriatrics. IU has a longstanding history of program research, development, implementation within geriatrics. After completing fellowship, I felt that the program truly lives up to its reputation and feel more than comfortable caring of my elderly patients within any healthcare setting.”

    What is the most rewarding aspect of the Program?

    “The people make the difference. It was amazing how the fellowship program is invested on tailoring the training that fellows get towards specific career choices that we might have. I could see how the program Leadership, attendings and administrative staff made an extra effort to help fellows succeed with their career choices.”

Your Future Communities 

  • Indianapolis and Surrounding Communities

    Reasons to move to Indianapolis:

    • Great place to live for nature lovers, cultural connoisseurs, history buffs, music lovers, and sports fanatics
    • The cost of living in Indianapolis is 83.5 compared to the US baseline of 100
    • Excellent school systems
    • Attractions
      • The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis
      • Indianapolis Zoo
      • Lucas Oil Stadium (Home of the Colts & Indy 11)
      • Bankers Life Field House (Home of the Pacers & Fever)
      • Indianapolis Motor Speedway (Indy 500 & Brickyard 400)
      • Indianapolis Museum of Art/Newfields
      • Eiteljorg Museum
      • Indiana State Museum
      • NCAA Hall of Champions
      • Conner Prairie
      • Indiana Historical Society
      • Ruoff Music Center
      • Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra
      • State Parks
    • Food: Great locally sourced and international foods
  • IU School of Medicine
    • IU School of Medicine is the largest medical chool in the nation
    • Partnered with IU Center for Aging Research, a partnership with the Regenstrief Institute
    • Full medical and dental coverage at no cost, plus additional benefits
    • Moonlighting opportunities with program director approval (visa status could restrict participation)
    • Crimson card benefits

    Department of Medicine
    • The largest department of the School and consists of 799 faculty members
    • Divided into 10 divisions including General Internal Medicine & Geriatrics, Cardiology, Gastroenterology & Hepatology, Hematology & Oncology, Nephrology, Pulmonary & Critical Care, Endocrinology, Rheumatology, Clinical Pharmacology, and Infectious Diseases

    Division of General Internal Medicine and Geriatrics
    • Large, diverse, and active in the department’s clinical, teaching and research missions.
    • The division includes primary care, geriatrics, hospital medicine, palliative medicine and global medicine and ethics.

    IU Geriatrics
    • Focused on education, research and clinical aspects of older adults.

    Geriatrics Fellowship
    • ACGME Accredited
    • Founded in 1995

Geriatric Professional Organizations

Both national and local professional organizations is an important aspect of a successful geriatric career. We provide funding for our Geriatrics fellows to submit their work for a potential presentation/poster and attendance at the American Geriatrics Society (AGS) Annual Meeting. They are also supported to participate in the annual Fall Conference of the AGS local chapter, the Indiana Geriatrics Society. When our Geriatric fellows apply and receive the Foundation for PALTC Futures Program award for the AMDA, The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine’s Annual Meeting, we support them to attend. We encourage them to participate in their local chapter, Indiana Medical Directors Association.

Leadership

4807-Westmoreland, Glenda

Glenda R. Westmoreland, MD, MPH

Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine

“As a resident I realized Geriatric Medicine was the field I was seeking. My goal was to specialize in a field of medicine that afforded me opportunity to provide care to older adult patients comprehensively and longitudinally. A more than two-decade career in Primary Care Geriatrics has allowed me to continue meeting my professional goals. As a geriatrician educator, I have taught compassionate, comprehensive, interdisciplinary care to thousands of learners, which has exponentially transferred to the care of older adults with whom these learners interact. My career in Geriatric Medicine has provided me opportunity to have a large impact both as a clinician and an educator.”

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5113-Perez, Felipe

Felipe P. Perez, MD

Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine

"I am passionate to create a supportive educational environment for our fellows in which to thrive and develop a successful work-life balance."

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5169-Arseven, Adnan

Adnan Arseven, MD

Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine

"I am passionate about being a geriatrician

  • to help older adults to improve their physical, psychosocial well-being and quality of life, and help to achieve their goals later in life

  • to improve quality of care

  • teach these knowledge and skills to next generation colleagues"

Read Bio