Summer 2025 Newsletter
As we enjoy the summer season, I find myself reflecting with deep gratitude on the remarkable progress we’ve made so far this year—progress that has only been possible because of your generous support. Together, we’re not only advancing the care of seniors but also investing in the people and ideas that will shape the future of geriatric medicine.
Your contributions have fueled a wide range of meaningful initiatives, from programs for underrepresented high school students to an established geriatrician pursuing a career in oncology focused geriatrics. You also helped bring to life a heartwarming pen pal project that will link seniors to medical trainees, fostering intergenerational connection and empathy. These efforts demonstrate our shared commitment to building a more inclusive, compassionate and forward thinking health care community.
I hope you enjoy reading about the success we’ve had. Thank you being a vital part of this journey. Your belief in our mission continues to inspire and uplift us.
With sincere appreciation,
Brandon Koretz, M.D.
Carol and James Collins Endowed Chair in Geriatric Medicine
Clinical Professor of Medicine, UCLA Division of Geriat
Defining Geriatric Excellence Across UCLA Health
Wendy Zachary, M.D., remains involved with the UCLA MedScholars Program, which exists to increase representation of historically underrepresented groups in the medical profession. Recently, Dr. Zachary presented compelling data on racial disparities in the health care workforce and highlighted the importance of racial concordance in medicine.
Racial concordance, or a shared racial identity between patient and physician, has been shown to improve health outcomes, reduce mortality and increase preventive care. In addition to her work with MedScholars, Dr. Zachary was honored for her outstanding c ontributions to the American Geriatrics Society Ethnogeriatrics Committee. As vice chair of the committee, Dr. Zachary plays a key role in advancing crucial resources across research, education and clinical practice.
Her leadership continues to help embed diversity into the fabric of geriatrics, ultimately ensuring that care models, policies and educational tools reflect the communities that they are designed to serve.
Before joining UCLA, Dr. Zachary worked as a hospitalist in San Francisco, where she founded Sutter Health’s Hospital Elder Life Program, along with their first Acute Care of the Elderly Unit
Transforming Cancer For Seniors
The Innovation Fund proudly supports Justin Cheng, M.D., a geriatrician dedicated to studying how seniors with cancer respond to treatment an area in oncology where age related differences remain under researched.
His leading — edge approach uses wearable technology to monitor fall risk and virtual reality to assess “chemo brain,” or cognitive impairment caused by chemotherapy, in older cancer patients, ensuring treatments meet their unique needs.
Dr. Cheng is completing a master’s degree in clinical research at UCLA and will continue his oncology training at the University of Michigan next year. Dr. Cheng is a graduate of the prestigious Medical Student Training in Aging Research program at UCLA, an experience that helped foster his commitment to improving care for older adult
Championing Diversity in Medicine
Michelle Ryder, a second year medical student, was recently honored with an invitation to present her work at a national conference of women in medicine in Boston — a well deserved acknowledgment of her passion and impact.
With a strong commitment to equity in education and health care, Michelle developed an outreach and training program that brings underrepresented high school students to UCLA for hands on exposure to the medical profession.
Through this program, students gain valuable skills in first aid, CPR and medical Spanish while building a sense of belonging in spaces where they have historically been inadequately represented. Before starting medical school, Michelle was a science teacher, which makes her work with high school students feel like a full circle moment
Building Human Connection, One Letter at a Time
The Sand Dollar Project is a pen pal letter writing program between the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA’s Geriatric Medicine Interest Group and home based seniors in the Los Angeles community.
This project aims to foster intergenerational connections through monthly exchange of letters and artwork between seniors, who are largely homebound but rich in life experience, and younger adults navigating medical training. At the end of the year, partic ipants will have the opportunity to meet their pen pals for the first time.