The Geriatric Medicine Fellowship includes both continuous clinical activity and block rotations. Our curriculum emphasizes comprehensive interprofessional team care and innovative high-value models of geriatric care across the continuum of care offered.

Clinical Sites

Fellows rotate at the Southern Arizona VA Health Care System, Banner – University Medical Center Tucson and South campuses, community nursing homes and several other affiliated community sites. At all sites, fellows are supervised and mentored by a committed group of geriatric attending physicians.

Clinical activities include a weekly outpatient clinic, community nursing home long-term care, home-based primary care visits, weekly case conferences, grand rounds and journal clubs.

Block Rotations

Topic-focused block rotations usually last four weeks each. Subjects include:

• Overview of comprehensive geriatric assessment and care
• Hospice and palliative care
• Home-based primary care
• Subacute care
• Community geriatric practice
• Rheumatology and dermatology
• Geropsychiatry
• Neurogeriatrics

Opportunities are also available in older women’s health, medical director administrative and finance training, geriatric orthopedics and pain management.

Research Opportunities

Fellows interested in research design and development may pursue research projects under the supervision of faculty mentors. 

Evaluation

The fellowship is evaluated regularly by fellows, faculty and others, and there is ongoing competency-based evaluation of both fellow and faculty performance in a supportive environment.

Physicians interested in the Geriatric Medicine Fellowship may apply through the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS) or the NRMP Fellowship Match of the National Resident Matching Program — see NRMP’s Medical Specialties Matching Program to apply for the University of Arizona Geriatric Medicine Fellowship Program. Qualifications for admission to the fellowship program include:

• The successful completion of a three-year residency in anesthesiology, family medicine or internal medicine
• U.S. citizenship, valid residency or J-1 visa
• Graduates of foreign medical schools must have a standard ECFMG Certificate
• All accepted candidate must obtain an Arizona postgraduate training permit (see Licensure)

You must apply through ERAS and register for participation in the match through the NRMP Fellowship Medical Specialties Matching Program.

Application Requirements

Your ERAS application will require the following documentation and should be uploaded here.

• CV
• Three letters of reference
• USMLE or COMLEX scores
• ECFMG certificate (see “International Medical Graduates,” below)
• Medical school transcript
• Certificate of completion (or good standing in) ACGME-accredited residency (can be in anesthesiology, family medicine or internal medicine).
• Personal statement

International Medical Graduates

Graduates of foreign medical schools are welcome to apply to the fellowship provided they have a standard ECFMG Certificate and an Arizona postgraduate training permit (see Licensure).

Fellows must either have U.S. citizenship, valid U.S. residency or a J-1 visa. H1-B visas are not supported by this fellowship.

Criteria (other programs don't have this section -- is it necessary?)

• Example of employment agreement
• Stipends
• Benefits
• Professional liability coverage
• Disability insurance
• Health insurance
• Vacation and leaves of absence policy
• Eligibility and appointment policy
• Expected or required academic, educational or prior training credentials
• Pre-employment drug testing and background check
• Information relevant to licensure status or visa status

Timeline and Deadlines

The program reviews all applications — from internal and external applicants alike — and selects the most qualified candidates for interviews. Interview season generally starts in mid-September and finishes in early November.

Important Timelines

ERAS

• June: Programs open for fellowship applicants (see the MyERAS® Fellowship User Guide)
• Mid-July: ERAS PostOffice opens to July cycle programs
• December: Match results available for July application cycle programs

NRMP

For key dates related to geriatric medicine programs in the NRMP Fellowship Match, see the NRMP Fellowship Medical Specialties Matching Program or click on its Fellowship Participants Match Calendar for match schedules.

A fellow accepts appointment as a clinical assistant in the program. It is understood that appointments at the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Tucson are year-to-year, and subject to annual renewal, pursuant to Chapter 4, University Handbook for Appointed Personnel and the Arizona Board of Regents Policy Manual, 6-301, et seq.

The curriculum centers on goals and objectives aligned with the ACGME-endorsed competencies of patient care, medical knowledge, practice-based learning and improvement, interpersonal and communication skills, and systems-based practice.

Training

Training for the fellowship consists of 12 months of clinical training and opportunities for clinical research experience in quality improvement and scholarly activity.

During clinical training, the following skills and experiences will be demonstrated:

• Learn to use opiates, dose conversions and narcotic equivalences
• Coordinate and lead family meetings and discussions of complex decision-making
• Learn empathic interviewing techniques
• Demonstrate symptom evaluation and management
• Learn how to discuss palliative treatment options with patients, families and other health-care professionals
• Learn prognostic criteria for patients with advanced and life-limiting diseases
• Perform home care visits in the setting of end-of-life care
• Work with the ethics committee and participate in ethics meetings
• Demonstrate excellence in communication skills among the patient and family unit, other health-care providers and the palliative care team
• Assist in the coordination of care for patients and families including performing functional assessments
• Lecture and teach medical students, nurses, residents and other members of the health-care team on the unique aspects of palliative medical care
• Learn and apply Medicare and Medicaid rules and regulations as it pertains to palliative medicine
• Incorporate patients’ cultural, spiritual and experiential perspectives to customize individual care plans
• How to take a spiritual history and be sensitive to cultural variations and perspectives

Didactics

Fellows are exposed to a broad range of topics through didactic experiences, including:

• Weekly combined Geri-Palliative lectures at the Southern Arizona VA Health Care System (SAVAHCS)
• Department of Medicine Grand Rounds
• Tumor Board at SAVAHCS
• Journal Club at Banner – University Medical Center Tucson and SAVAHCS
• Interdisciplinary Team Meetings
• Palliative Care Clinic at the University of Arizona Cancer Center
• Individual projects with faculty mentors

Electives and Rotations

Elective rotations include:

• Oncology clinic and/or inpatient oncology consultations
• Radiation oncology
• Medical ICU palliative care
• Geriatrics
• Pediatric palliative care

The typical rotation schedule for the one-year program includes:

Time may vary between sites depending upon funding.

Physicians interested in the Hospice & Palliative Medicine Fellowship may apply through the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS). We accept exceptional applicants from the fields of anesthesiology, emergency medicine, family medicine, internal medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, physical medicine and rehabilitation, psychiatry and neurology, radiology, and surgery. 

Qualifications for Admission

• Completion or current good standing of primary residency program
• U.S. citizenship, valid residency or J-1 visa.
• Graduates of foreign medical schools must have a standard ECFMG Certificate
• All accepted candidates must obtain an Arizona postgraduate training permit

As a condition of employment, all new fellows must obtain a valid fingerprint clearance card, in accordance with A.R.S. § 15-1881, and pass a criminal background check.

Please note, you must apply through ERAS and register for participation in the Match through the NRMP Fellowship Medical Specialties Matching Program.

Application Requirements

ERAS requires Hospice & Palliative Medicine Fellowship applicants to submit a full application packet that includes the following:

• Application form
• Personal statement
• CV
• Medical school transcript
• USMLE or COMLEX scores
• ECFMG certificate if appropriate (see “International Medical Graduates,” below)
• Three letters of recommendation (one letter should be from your residency/fellowship program director)

International Medical Graduates

Graduates of foreign medical schools are welcome to apply to the fellowship provided they have a standard ECFMG Certificate and an Arizona postgraduate training permit (see Licensure).

Fellows must either have U.S. Citizenship, valid U.S. residency or a J-1 visa. H1-B visas are not supported by this fellowship. Sponsorship is at the discretion of the program.

Criteria (other programs don't have this section -- is this necessary?)

• Example of Employment Agreement
• Stipends
• Benefits
• Professional Liability Coverage
• Disability Insurance
• Health Insurance
• Vacation and Leaves of Absence Policy
• Eligibility and Appointment Policy
• Expected or required academic, educational, or prior training credentials
• Pre-employment drug testing and background check
• Information relevant to licensure status or visa status

Timeline and Deadlines

The program reviews all applications — from internal and external applicants alike — and selects the most qualified candidates for interview. Interview season generally starts in September and finishes in early November. 

For key dates in the National Residency Matching Program (NRMP) Fellowship Match, see the NRMP Fellowship Medical Specialties Matching Program or click on its Fellowship Participants Match Calendar for match schedules to register for participation in the match.

ERAS

• June: Programs open for fellowship applicants (see the MyERAS® Fellowship User Guide)
• Mid-July: Fellowship applicants may begin submitting applications
• August: Applications are reviewed and invitations for interviews extended
• September to October: Interviews conducted
• December: Match results available for July application cycle programs

We anticipate that interviews for the 2023-24 fellowship will be virtual.

Reminder: You must apply through ERAS and register for participation in the match through the NRMP.

A fellow accepts appointment as a clinical assistant in the program. It is understood that appointments at the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Tucson are year-to-year, and subject to annual renewal, pursuant to Chapter 4, University Handbook for Appointed Personnel and the Arizona Board of Regents Policy Manual, 6-301, et seq.