Curriculum
Clinical Rotations
The clinical year is divided into two-week and four week blocks and each fellow has four weeks of vacation which can be taken as two separate 2-week blocks. Most inpatient rotations are done in two-week blocks.
| Clinical Experience | Time | Locations |
|---|---|---|
| Nursing Home | 8 – 12 weeks |
|
| Home Based Primary Care | 4 weeks |
|
| Geriatric Consults | 8 – 12 weeks |
|
| Inpatient Geriatrics | 4 – 8 weeks |
|
| Palliative Care | 4 weeks |
|
| Geriatric Psychiatry | 4 weeks |
|
| PM&R/Rehab | 2 weeks |
|
| Outpatient | 4 weeks |
|
| PACE | 2 weeks |
|
| Elective | 2 weeks |
|
Our Didactic Experiences
Our fellows develop expertise in outpatient geriatrics by managing their own longitudinal continuity practice throughout the fellowship year. Under the direct supervision of our core faculty, fellows provide weekly half-day clinical care at their primary continuity site, such as the West Los Angeles VA, the Sepulveda VA, UCLA, or Harbor-UCLA. This experience fosters meaningful continuity with patients while cultivating long-term mentorship relationships with faculty, helping fellows build the clinical skills and confidence necessary for independent practice in geriatric medicine.
Wednesday Lecture Series
- All fellows attend our lecture series which occurs for two hours every Wednesday afternoon.
UCLA Intensive Course in Geriatric Medicine + Pharmacy & Board Review
Geriatric fellows attend the UCLA Intensive Course in Geriatric Medicine for four days each September, with all conference fees covered by the fellowship. This annual course provides early foundational training in geriatric medicine and includes expert-led lectures as well as board-style review sessions.
Designed to establish core knowledge at the start of fellowship, the course covers the breadth of the field and serves as a cornerstone of the curriculum. It ensures all fellows begin the year with a strong clinical foundation and are well prepared for future board certification.
Geriatric Grand Rounds
- All fellows and faculty attend monthly virtual Geriatric Grand Rounds on Friday mornings.
Journal Club
- All fellows attend Journal Club which occurs twice a month on Fridays.
Geriatric Medical-Legal Elective
- Fellows are invited to participate in a voluntary course run by the Psychiatry Department and LA County Department of Mental Health.
National Meetings
-
- Fellows are allotted educational funds ($1200) to attend the AGS meeting and receive additional compensation if they present a poster as first author.
- We encourage and allow protected time off for all fellows to attend a national geriatric meeting such as AGS, AMDA, or AAHCM.
Year-Long Longitudinal Continuity Experiences
Geriatric Medicine Clinic
Each fellow is assigned to one of our Geriatric Medicine Clinic locations for the entire year. Locations include West Los Angeles VA (WLA VA), Sepulveda VA (San Fernando Valley), UCLA or Harbor UCLA (Torrance). Clinic meets weekly for 1/2 day.
Nursing Home
To further master the complexities of long-term care, fellows manage a small patient panel within a single skilled nursing facility throughout the fellowship year. Each fellow is paired with a faculty mentor who provides expert guidance on the nuances of nursing home practice. On a monthly basis, fellows conduct clinical visits, collaborate with the interprofessional team, and take an active role in managing complex care transitions and developing comprehensive long-term care plans.
Home Care
To foster continuity in home-based care, fellows manage a small panel of patients through quarterly clinical visits supervised by UCLA/VA faculty. This longitudinal experience allows fellows to develop essential home assessment skills while addressing the complex social and environmental factors that influence care. Distinct from the four-week Home-Based Primary Care (HBPC) rotation, this program provides a continuous, year-long opportunity to manage a patient panel within the home environment.
