Educational Programs

The aim of the Department of Geriatric and Palliative Medicine is to foster geriatric education in the health care field as well as the community.

Educational Goals

1. The division of geriatric medicine and palliative care has been working closely with other faculty of the medical school to develop a geriatric curriculum for basic service students. The Division also offers electives in many of the sites in Palliative and Geriatric Medicine.
2. The Houston Geriatric Education Center, funded by a grant from the Department of Health and Human Services Health Resources and Services Administration, offers a four-tiered educational methodology in which each tier targets specific groups for training:
   1. Community-based organizations, and businesses;
   2. Students in the healthcare field
   3. Residents, Trainees, masters/doctoral nurse practitioners;
   4. Faculty and Professionals.
   
   The focus of this specialized training is:
   • Principles of Interdisciplinary Work
   • Humanistic Perspectives on the Experiences of Vulnerability
   • Detection, Intervention, and Prevention of Elder Mistreatment
   • Assessment & intervention of the Living situation
   • Disaster Issues for Vulnerable Elders
   • The Legal and Ethical Aspects of Safer Communities
   • Health Literacy
3. Internal medicine residents and ob-gyn residents rotate on the various services. Geriatric or palliative lectures are given monthly as part of the core curriculum. Nurse practioner students, social work and public health students are welcome to rotate on this service as well.
4. Starting July 2008, a fellowship in Geriatric Medicine will be offered to physicians completing training in internal Medicine or Family Practice who wish to become geriatricians. The fellowship is currently a one-year clinical fellowship, which will be expanded in future years to a two-year fellowship to also offer research and clinical education. (read more)
5. Our Caregiver and Senior Education Program, funded through the Harris County Area Agency on Aging in collaborative partnerships with Gateway to Care/Harris County Hospital District provides outreach to caregivers and seniors through educational workshops offered throughout the year.
6. We also offer a curriculum and training programs on the Medical Management of Elder Abuse (MMEA). This program was designed by a multidisciplinary team of physicians, nurses, social workers, APS workers, and law enforcement and funded through a grant from the U.S. Department of Justice.

Call 713-873-4687 for more info!