Geriatric Medicine Fellowship at University Hospitals Cleveland, OH
The UH Geriatric Medicine Fellowship, offered in collaboration with Case Western Reserve University and the Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center, trains family medicine physicians and internists in the full spectrum of care for older adults. Fellows gain experience across every level of geriatric practice while contributing to the system-wide initiatives shaping the future of senior medicine.
Quick Facts
- Program name: Case Western Reserve University/University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, Geriatric Medicine
- Sponsoring institution: UH Cleveland Medical Center and Louis Stokes VA Medical Center
- Accreditation: ACGME-accredited | ACGME Program Number: 1513821035
- Program length: One year | Positions: Two fellows per year | Start date: July 1
- Application: ERAS | Match: NRMP Geriatric Medicine Fellowship Match
- Board eligibility: American Board of Family Medicine or Internal Medicine
One-Year Fellowship Training in Geriatric Medicine
The University Hospitals / Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) Geriatric Medicine Fellowship is a one-year ACGME-accredited program that trains family medicine physicians and internists in the full spectrum of care for older adults. Offered jointly through UH Cleveland Medical Center and the Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center (VA), in collaboration with Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, the program provides clinical experience across inpatient, ambulatory, long-term care, and community-based settings. The Division of Geriatrics and Palliative Care is composed of faculty from both the departments of Family Medicine and Internal Medicine.
Fellows complete a required scholarly project and graduate, prepared to practice as geriatric specialists, pursue additional fellowship training, or take on leadership roles in health system innovation.
Why Choose Our Fellowship?
Northeast Ohio's First and Only VA-Sponsored Geriatrics Fellowship
Train at two leading institutions with access to a patient population and care infrastructure unmatched in the county.
Experience Across Every Level of Geriatric Care
Inpatient, ambulatory, long-term care, memory care, house calls, PACE, palliative care, and community settings, one of the broadest clinical footprints of any geriatrics program in Ohio.
One of Few Ohio Programs Offering a PACE Rotation
Fellows gain direct, hands-on experience in a distinctive community-based care model that coordinates medical, social, and supportive services for nursing-home-eligible seniors.
A Curriculum Built Around Your Goals
Two months of protected elective time, a flexible rotation structure, and an optional VA-GRECC research fellowship year allow fellows to tailor training toward subspecialty interests, research, or leadership.
Active Participants in System-Wide Geriatric Innovation
As an IHI-designated Age-Friendly Health System, UH fellows contribute directly to initiatives in geriatric surgery, emergency medicine, oncology, and perioperative care, stepping into leadership roles that shape the future of senior medicine.
A Program that Develops Teachers and Community Leaders
Fellows have opportunities to teach CWRU medical students and trainees in pharmacy, physician assistant, and nurse practitioner programs, as well as engage directly with older adults in the Cleveland community.
ACGME Accreditation, ERAS and Match Participation
The UH / CWRU Geriatric Medicine Fellowship is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME). Applications are submitted through ERAS (Electronic Residency Application Service), and the program participates in the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) with Match results announced in December.
Fellowship Curriculum and Clinical Training
First-Year Clinical Training
Geriatric medicine fellows at UH / CWRU train across a comprehensive range of clinical settings throughout the one-year program. Core experiences span inpatient geriatric consult and co-management, longitudinal ambulatory care at the Foley ElderHealth Center and VA Geriatric Clinic, long-term care, memory care, palliative care, geriatric psychiatry and physical medicine and rehabilitation.
Distinctive Clinical Experiences
The University Hospitals / Case Western Reserve University program offers several training opportunities that set it apart from peer programs. Fellows complete a PACE rotation, participate in the UH Medical House Calls Program, rotate through the Brain Health and Memory Center, and engage with community organizations through the Community Resources rotation. Two months of protected elective time allow fellows to pursue subspecialty interests or research aligned with their career goals.
Leadership Opportunities in Geriatric Innovation
UH geriatric fellows participate in system-wide initiatives that position them as emerging leaders in the field. Active programs include the Age-Friendly health system initiative, geriatric surgery verification, geriatric emergency department verification, geriatric oncology, geriatric perioperative medicine, Move to Heal, and the Falls and Delirium committees. Fellows who engage with these programs graduate with leadership experience that extends well beyond clinical training.
Subspecialty Training Opportunities
Geriatric Fellowship Designed for Physicians Pursuing Subspecialty Careers
The UH / CWRU Geriatric Medicine Fellowship supports fellows who plan to pursue additional subspecialty training. The program offers a flexible elective structure, direct faculty mentorship, and rotations in cardiology, hematology-oncology, and gynecologic oncology that allow fellows to build targeted expertise alongside their geriatric training. Physicians who complete geriatric fellowship training become stronger subspecialists, more competitive fellowship applicants, and better equipped to lead in an aging healthcare landscape.
Fellows at UH have access to a range of clinical electives that support subspecialty career paths. Elective options include:
- Cardiology
- Hematology-oncology
- Gynecologic oncology
- Uro-gynecology
- Wound care
- Infectious diseases
Fellows work directly with subspecialty faculty during elective rotations, building clinical exposure and professional relationships that support their next career step.
Research Opportunities for Fellows
Scholarly Development Across the Fellowship Year
Research and scholarly development are woven throughout the UH / CWRU Geriatric Medicine Fellowship. Every fellow completes a required scholarly project with direct faculty mentorship in clinical research, educational research or quality improvement. The program's VA affiliation provides access to the Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center (GRECC), one of the VA's designated centers of excellence in aging research.
Optional Research Fellowship Through VA-GRECC
Fellows who wish to pursue a dedicated research track may apply for an optional second year through the VA-GRECC gerontology research fellowship following completion of the geriatric medicine fellowship. This expanded pathway provides protected research time, faculty mentorship, and access to VA-GRECC's aging research infrastructure for fellows pursuing academic medicine or investigative careers in geriatrics.
Training in Cleveland, Ohio at an Academic Hospital
Cleveland is a nationally recognized academic medical hub and an exceptional city for fellowship training. The city's concentration of major academic medical institutions creates a unique environment for geriatric medicine, including the shared citywide fellowship conference program that brings University Hospitals, VA, Cleveland Clinic, and MetroHealth fellows and faculty together throughout the year.
Living in Cleveland During Fellowship
Beyond training, Cleveland offers a high quality of life at a cost of living well below comparable academic medical cities. Fellows find walkable neighborhoods, award-winning restaurants, world-class arts and culture, professional sports, and easy access to Lake Erie and the Metroparks system. It is a city that is easy to build a life in, whether arriving solo, with a partner, or with a family.
Faculty Mentorship and Fellow Support
Dedicated Faculty Mentorship
Fellows at UH are trained by a core group of UH geriatricians, subspecialty faculty, and an interdisciplinary team that includes nurses and nurse practitioners, pharmacists, social workers, and physical, occupational and speech therapists. Mentorship is one-on-one and intentional, covering clinical practice, career development, research and scholarly projects, teaching and leadership and fellow wellness throughout the year.
Support for Career Development and Fellowship Success
Fellows are supported clinically and academically at every stage of training. Direct and indirect faculty supervision, exposure to interdisciplinary teams, and experience across inpatient, ambulatory, long-term care, house calls, and PACE settings ensure fellows are prepared for the full scope of geriatric practice. Academic support includes biweekly internal didactics at UH and the VA, participation in the Citywide Geriatric Fellowship Conference, two months of protected elective time, and real-time evaluations in addition to required ACGME assessments. Progressive independence is built into the program structure, giving fellows the confidence to lead patient care while maintaining close faculty oversight for patient safety.
Current Fellows and Alumni Outcomes
Many fellow graduates continue to practice as geriatric specialists across a wide range of clinical settings, including academic medicine, hospital-based geriatric medicine, long-term care, house call medicine, PACE programs, and palliative care. Others continue their education and pursue additional subspecialty training. Several graduates have remained at University Hospitals as attending physicians and faculty within the expanding Division of Geriatric and Palliative Medicine.
How to Apply to the Geriatric Medicine Fellowship
The UH / CWRU Geriatric Medicine Fellowship participates in ERAS and the NRMP Fellowship Match. Applications open July 1, with interviews conducted from late August through October and Match results announced in December. The program supports applicants on J1 and H1B visas.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Fellowship
- What makes the UH / CWRU Geriatric Medicine Fellowship different from other programs?
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University Hospitals / Case Western Reserve University offers northeast Ohio's first and only VA-sponsored geriatrics fellowship, one of the broadest clinical footprints of any program in Ohio, a PACE rotation available at few Ohio programs, two months of protected elective time, one-on-one faculty mentorship, and direct participation in system-wide geriatric innovation initiatives.
- What is the ACGME program number for the UH Geriatric Medicine Fellowship
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The ACGME program number is 1513821035.
- Does this fellowship include PACE experience?
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Yes. The UH Geriatric Medicine Fellowship is one of the few programs in Ohio to offer a dedicated PACE (Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly) rotation, giving fellows direct experience in a distinctive and increasingly in-demand model of coordinated senior care.
- Can I use a geriatric fellowship as a career path to cardiology or hematology-oncology?
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Yes. Geriatric fellowship training provides a strong clinical foundation for physicians pursuing additional subspecialty training in cardiology, hematology-oncology, and other fields. The University Hospitals program's flexible elective structure and faculty mentorship are specifically designed to support that career trajectory.
- Does the UH Geriatric Medicine Fellowship offer a research track?
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Yes. Fellows with a dedicated research interest may pursue an optional second year through the VA-GRECC (Geriatrics Research Education and Clinical Center) gerontology research fellowship following completion of the one-year program.
- Does this fellowship include house calls experience?
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Yes. Fellows participate in the UH Medical House Calls Program, providing primary care to homebound older adults. This is a longitudinal experience that builds throughout the fellowship year.
- Is the UH Geriatric Medicine Fellowship a good program for physicians interested in memory care?
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Yes. Fellows are trained by our geriatricians to do cognitive assessments, which are completed in different sites of care (inpatient, outpatient, housecalls, nursing homes). They also rotate through the UH Brain Health and Memory Center, working with neurology faculty to evaluate and treat patients with Alzheimer's disease, vascular dementia, frontotemporal dementia, and parkinsonian dementias, in addition to bimonthly memory care visits built into the longitudinal clinical experience.
- How many elective months do geriatric fellows receive at UH?
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Fellows receive two months of protected elective time to pursue clinical, research, or educational experiences aligned with their career goals. Elective options include but are not limited to cardiology, hematology-oncology, gynecologic oncology, wound care, infectious diseases, and uro-gynecology.
- Where do UH Geriatric Medicine Fellowship graduates work after training?
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Graduates practice across a wide range of settings including academic medicine, hospital-based geriatric medicine, long-term care, house call medicine, PACE programs, palliative care and subspecialty practice. Several graduates have remained at UH as attending physicians and faculty.
- Does UH accept J1 and H1B visa holders for the geriatric medicine fellowship?
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Yes. The program supports applicants on both J1 and H1B visas.
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