Millcreek Community Hospital Osteopathic Geriatric
Medicine Fellowship Program
Program Director: James Lin, D.O.
Telephone: (814) 868-8217
Email: jlin@mch1.org
Currently we are accepting applications for the Geriatric Fellowship Program for the
2013/2014 Academic Year. Please email: mchmeded@mch1.org or call: 814/868-8217 to
apply.
Mission
The Osteopathic Geriatric Medicine
Fellowship is designed to create an organizational structure of academic, clinical, and technical
criteria to facilitate the education of Geriatric Medicine Fellows. Fellows will demonstrate the
ability to provide patient-centered care that is appropriate, compassionate, and effective for
treatment of health problems and the promotion of health. Fellows will know, critically evaluate
and use current medical information and scientific evidence for patient care. Fellows will
investigate and evaluate their patient care practices, appraise and assimilate scientific evidence,
and use these processes to improve patient care. They will demonstrate interpersonal and
communication skills that result in effective information exchange, and collaboration with
patients, families, and health professionals. The fellows will demonstrate a commitment to
professionalism, ethical behavior, and the development of cultural humility. They will practice
quality health care that is cost-effective and advocate for patients within the health system. The
Geriatric Medicine Fellows will demonstrate and apply knowledge of accepted standards in
Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment (OMT) appropriate to the geriatric patient. The educational goal
is to train a skilled and competent Osteopathic Practitioner who remains dedicated to life-long
learning and to practice habits in osteopathic philosophy and manipulative medicine.
Program Overview
The Geriatric Medicine Fellowship is based out of Millcreek Community Hospital. The program is a
one (1) year training program that includes clinical, teaching, research, and administrative
components. The program focuses on training geriatric medicine clinicians. The core clinical
curriculum provides in-depth knowledge of geriatrics and gerontology, including biological and
psychosocial aspects of aging and the clinical management of common health problems. The program
includes formal didactic training in geriatric medicine and clinical experiences across the
continuum of care. Millcreek Community Hospital is a 200-bed medical care complex that offers
comprehensive care in the tradition of osteopathic medicine - treating the whole person for
physical and mental illnesses, while emphasizing preventive care. The services provided by
Millcreek Health System provide the comprehensive setting for the fellowship encompassing acute
care, licensed skilled and long term care (50 beds), sub-acute/transitional care (24 beds), and
ambulatory care all on one campus. The hospital also has a dedicated geriatric-psychiatry unit,
physical medicine and rehabilitation, integrated medical wellness center, medicine, surgical and
emergency services.
Fellowship
Outline
- Clinical Component: Fellows are
provided a comprehensive orientation and a block schedule in which they follow patients
longitudinally in the ambulatory and long term care settings. The fellows’ supervised
clinical experience will prepare them as a primary care provider and as a consultant. The
integration of osteopathic principles and osteopathic manipulative treatment is noted throughout
the fellowship. The fellows will have the opportunity to work with the NMM/OMM specialists from
LECOM to refine their OMT skills specific for the geriatric population.
- Ambulatory Care Training: The fellows will have longitudinal continuity of care
experience in a multi-physician clinic with supervision by board certified geriatric medicine
physicians. The fellows ambulatory care training will be at least two half days per week. The
clinic will be on campus on the third floor of the new LECOM Medical Wellness and Fitness Center.
- Technical Skills Training: The fellows will acquire the
skills to administer, interpret, and apply the use of geriatric assessment tools. The fellows will
perform functional, medical, cognitive and psychosocial assessments. (Katz ADL, IADL Assessment,
MMSAE, SLUMS Evaluation, CAM Assessment, Geriatric Depression Scale.) The Geriatric Medicine Clinic
will provide primary care and consultative services. The fellows will participate in the Memory
Assessment Clinic, Fall Assessment Clinic, Osteoporosis Clinic, and Urinary Incontinence Clinic.
- Research Component: The fellows will be required to
complete one original research project or publishable quality paper during his/her one year of
training. Fellows will have the support of LECOM faculty in the design and implementation of their
projects.
- Teaching: Throughout the fellowship program,
fellows will develop and refine their teaching skills and acquire administrative skills. The fellows
will be involved in the teaching of medical students, interns, and residents, as well as members of
the multidisciplinary team. Fellows will be required to provide geriatric lectures to the house
staff at Millcreek Community Hospital as well as serve as junior faculty at the Lake Erie College
of Osteopathic Medicine.
- Administration: Although the
fellowship is one year in duration, the program will provide the fellows with a strong foundation
in the role and responsibilities of the medical director of a long term care setting, the basics of
Medicare, Medicaid, commercial insurance, billing, government regulations, complexity of state
licensure and accreditation of acute, transitional, and skilled facilities, and other related
concepts.
- Library Resources: Millcreek Community
Hospital has an on-site medical library that interns, residents and fellows have access to 24 hours
a day. The medical library collects and organizes information to support the house staff in the form
of books, journals, audiovisuals, and electronic resources. The library staff is dedicated to
finding answers to all requests for health care information and can identify and deliver published
materials from the worldwide library community. In addition to the on-site medical library, house
staff also have access to the Learning Resource Center at Lake Erie College of Osteopathic
Medicine.
- Educational Didactics: The fellows attend
Journal Club weekly. Fellows participate in team conferences regularly. Geriatric Lectures will be
provided by the fellows to the house staff monthly. Geriatric Topic Lectures are provided by the
faculty. Geriatric fellows may be asked to participate in medical student lectures at LECOM for the
Geriatric curriculum. Schedules will be adjusted to accommodate lecture preparation and
presentation.
- Qualifications and Responsibilities of the
Fellow: Qualified candidates must have graduated from an AOA-accredited college of
Osteopathic Medicine and completed an AOA-approved Internal Medicine Residency Program or an
ACGME-approved Internal Medicine Program for which AOA approval has been granted. Candidates are
required to complete the MCH Residency/Fellowship application with all supporting documentation and
letters of recommendation. This can be found on the hospital website under the Medical
Education/Residency Application link: www.millcreekcommunityhospital.com/meded_residency/fellowhsip app.php.
Starting, July 1, 2013, applicants can apply to the Internal Medicine Geriatric Fellowship through
ERAS. Fellows must be a member of the American Osteopathic Association, the American College of
Osteopathic Internists, and the Pennsylvania Osteopathic Medical Association. Fellows must follow
all policies and standards of the hospital, Specialty College, and of the American Osteopathic
Association as it pertains to their fellowship. This includes but is not limited to, the required
logs, evaluation forms, research requirements, and attendance at required meetings.
Affiliate Sites
The
following affiliate sites will be utilized to enhance the education of the fellows outside the
Millcreek campus:
1. Abington Crest - Long Term Care
2. Sunrise - Assisted Living
3. Heartland - Hospice and Palliative Care
4. Golden Living Center - Long Term Care
5. Brevellier Village - Long Term Care, Assisted Living, Independent Living
6.
HealthSouth - Acute Rehabilitation Hospital
For More Information,
Contact:
Marilyn Tracy
Medical Education Coordinator
Medical Education
Millcreek Community Hospital
5515 Peach Street
Erie, PA 16509
(814) 868-8217
mchmeded@mch1.org
