title: Building psychosocial programming in geriatrics fellowships: a consortium model.
abstract: Geriatric psychosocial problems are prevalent and significantly affect the physical health and overall well-being of older adults. Geriatrics fellows require psychosocial education, and yet to date, geriatrics fellowship programs have not developed a comprehensive geriatric psychosocial curriculum. Fellowship programs in the New York tristate area collaboratively created the New York Metropolitan Area Consortium to Strengthen Psychosocial Programming in Geriatrics Fellowships in 2007 to address this shortfall. The goal of the Consortium is to develop model educational programs for geriatrics fellows that highlight psychosocial issues affecting elder care, share interinstitutional resources, and energize fellowship program directors and faculty. In 2008, 2009, and 2010, Consortium faculty collaboratively designed and implemented a psychosocial educational conference for geriatrics fellows. Cumulative participation at the conferences included 146 geriatrics fellows from 20 academic institutions taught by interdisciplinary Consortium faculty. Formal evaluations from the participants indicated that the conference: a) positively affected fellows' knowledge of, interest in, and comfort with psychosocial issues; b) would have a positive impact on the quality of care provided to older patients; and c) encouraged valuable interactions with fellows and faculty from other institutions. The Consortium, as an educational model for psychosocial learning, has a positive impact on geriatrics fellowship training and may be replicable in other localities.
authors.affiliation: Division of Geriatrics and Gerontology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, New York 10065, USA.
authors.forename: Ronald D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Adelman
authors.forename: Pamela
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ansell
authors.forename: Risa
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Breckman
authors.forename: Caitlin E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Snow
authors.forename: Amy R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Ehrlich
authors.forename: Michele G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Greene
authors.forename: Debra F
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Greenberg
authors.forename: Barrie L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Raik
authors.forename: Joshua J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Raymond
authors.forename: John F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Clabby
authors.forename: Suzanne D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Fields
authors.forename: Jennifer B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Breznay
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging; D003142:Communication; D003226:Congresses as Topic / Q000458:organization & administration*; D005257:Fellowships and Scholarships / Q000458:organization & administration*; D005853:Geriatrics / Q000193:education*; D006801:Humans; D033183:Interdisciplinary Communication; D007373:Interinstitutional Relations; D008603:Mental Health; D012577:Schools, Medical / Q000458:organization & administration*; D012961:Sociology / Q000458:organization & administration