Geriatric Fellowship Research Training
Geriatric medicine fellows at UH engage in meaningful scholarly work from the start of training. Every fellow completes a required scholarly project with direct faculty mentorship, and those with a dedicated research interest may pursue an optional second year through the VA-GRECC gerontology research fellowship.
Required Scholarly Project
Every fellow completes a scholarly project during the fellowship year, using protected elective time to develop and complete the work. Projects may take the form of:
- Case report
- Chart review
- Quality improvement study
- Other research endeavors related to geriatric medicine
Fellows are matched with an appropriate faculty mentor to guide project development and completion. Mentors are drawn from UH Cleveland Medical Center, Case Western Reserve University, and the Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center.
Prior Research Focus Areas
Fellows have pursued scholarly projects across a wide range of geriatric medicine topics, including:
- Ambulatory care
- Hospital medicine
- Infectious diseases
- Long-term care
- Medical education
- Palliative care
- Post-acute care
Research Areas and Opportunities
Infectious Disease Research in Older Adults
Fellows with an interest in infectious disease research may collaborate with the UH Infectious Diseases Division through established research partnerships. Active study areas include adult vaccinations, influenza, urinary tract infections, and common nosocomial infections in the geriatric population.
Memory and Cognitive Disorders Research
Fellows may work with neurology specialists at the UH Brain Health and Memory Center to study memory and cognitive disorders, including Alzheimer's disease, frontotemporal dementia, and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease.
Palliative Care Research
Ongoing educational and research efforts with the UH Palliative Care Program provide fellows with opportunities to contribute to scholarship at the intersection of geriatrics and end-of-life care.
Quality Improvement Research
Fellows interested in health systems and quality improvement may partner with the University Hospitals Quality Institute to conduct projects with direct impact on patient care.
Academic Medicine and Curriculum Development
Fellows considering academic careers can participate in developing and evaluating curriculum materials for trainees rotating through geriatrics, building a foundation in medical education scholarship alongside their clinical training.
Extended Research Fellowship
Optional Second Year Through VA-GRECC
The Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center (GRECC) at the Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center offers select eligible fellows the opportunity to continue their research beyond the one-year clinical fellowship. The VA-GRECC supports a dedicated gerontology research fellowship for fellows pursuing academic medicine or investigative careers in aging.