Geriatric Medicine Fellowship Program
Program Overview
Welcome to the Geriatric Fellowship Program at the University of Pittsburgh and UPMC, where clinical excellence, interdisciplinary collaboration, and groundbreaking research come together to advance the health and well-being of older adults. Our fellowship prepares physicians to become leaders in geriatric medicine, equipping them with the skills to deliver outstanding care, teach future clinicians, and contribute to innovative aging research.
Training here means being part of a nationally recognized network that includes the UPMC Division of Geriatrics, the University of Pittsburgh, and the VA Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center (GRECC) – a partnership that offers unparalleled breadth across clinical, academic, and research settings. Fellows learn from world-class mentors while working at the forefront of patient care models that define excellence in geriatrics today.
Life and training in Pittsburgh offer an ideal balance of opportunity and quality of life. Known for its affordability, cultural vibrancy, and welcoming neighborhoods, Pittsburgh provides a supportive environment that lets fellows focus on their professional growth. Compensation follows the UPMC Graduate Medical Education PGY stipend scale, ensuring competitive support that reflects your level of training. Combined with the city’s low cost of living, this makes Pittsburgh an exceptional place to train, live, and thrive.
I sought my internal medicine residency training at UPMC for the opportunity to work with the world class geriatricians there. After participating in the geriatrics track during residency, staying to complete my geriatrics fellowship was an easy decision, and I owe my career success to the robust training I received. I completed a 3 year academic fellowship, including 1 year of clinical geriatrics followed by 2 years of T32 postdoctoral research through the Pepper Center. During those 3 years, I trained with the best geriatricians and became an expert in geriatric syndromes both as a primary care doctor and as a consultant in both inpatient and outpatient settings. Further, I earned my Master of Science in Medical Education at Pitt and established myself as a clinician educator through the mentorship of Dr. Rollin Wright and others. After training, my goal was to return to my home state of Texas and the quality of my training and the reputation of this program made me competitive for multiple job offers, ultimately setting me up for my dream job. As a result, I am now a clinician educator and geriatrician at UTHealth in Houston, Texas, where I serve as Director of Education at the UTHealth Consortium on Aging. I will always be grateful for this training that launched my career in geriatrics and for the geriatricians I trained with who are now lifelong colleagues and friends.
Division of Geriatrics: Faculty Excellence
The Division of Geriatrics is home to more than two dozen nationally recognized geriatricians who bring diverse expertise to the care of older adults. More than half of our faculty hold postdoctoral degrees, and many have trained in complementary subspecialties such as neurology, cardiology, rheumatology, endocrinology, biomedical informatics, palliative medicine, and pulmonary and critical care.
Our faculty are national leaders in areas including geroscience, geriatric syndromes, medical direction, health care equity, and innovative models of care. Their collective work has shaped the practice of geriatrics across the country—advancing both science and systems of care.
Breadth and Quality of Clinical Training
Fellows in the Geriatric Fellowship Program at the University of Pittsburgh and UPMC benefit from the extraordinary depth and diversity of training opportunities available across one of the nation’s largest integrated academic health systems. UPMC encompasses more than 40 hospitals and insures over 4.25 million members, including over 175,000 older adults, providing an unparalleled environment to understand and influence the full continuum of geriatric care, from acute hospital settings to long-term and community-based programs.
Our fellowship offers rich, hands-on experience across a variety of clinical settings. Fellows rotate through three acute care roles: as consultants at a Level 1 trauma center, as geriatric hospitalists, and as part of the nation’s longest-running community-based Hospital Elder Life Program (HELP). Outpatient training takes place in leading geriatrics clinics, including the Benedum Geriatric Center at Montefiore Hospital and the Senior Care Institute at Shadyside Hospital, where fellows develop expertise in comprehensive geriatric assessment and continuity of care.
Through the VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System’s Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center (GRECC), fellows gain interprofessional experience in outpatient consultation, GEM units, home-based primary care, teledementia, and musculoskeletal medicine. This exposure reinforces the program’s emphasis on collaboration, patient-centered care, and innovative approaches to aging populations.
The fellowship’s didactic curriculum is fully integrated with UPMC’s renowned Geriatric Psychiatry Program, offering insight into the mental health aspects of aging and the interface between physical and cognitive well-being. Fellows also receive advanced communication training through VitalTalk, the nationally recognized program developed by UPMC faculty that teaches compassionate, effective conversations in serious illness care.
In partnership with the Alzheimer Disease Research Center and Geriatric Psychiatry, the division is establishing a Center of Excellence in Dementia Care, which will expand interdisciplinary learning and drive innovation in cognitive health. Together, these experiences prepare fellows to lead in every facet of geriatric medicine—from hospital-based practice to community engagement and academic leadership—within one of the most comprehensive geriatric training ecosystems in the country.
Academic and Research Opportunities
Fellows benefit from a thriving academic environment anchored by the University of Pittsburgh, ranked #9 nationally in NIH research funding. Aging-related research is conducted across all of Pitt’s graduate schools, from medicine and public health to engineering and informatics, offering limitless avenues for inquiry.
Through the Institute for Clinical Research Education (ICRE), fellows can pursue advanced training or degrees in medical education, clinical investigation, and translational science.
On the VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System’s Oakland campus, fellows engage with prestigious VA Centers of Excellence, including GRECC and the Center for Health Equity Research and Promotion (CHERP). The Division of Geriatrics also provides additional opportunities for career development through the T32 Integrated Clinical and Geroscience Research Training Program, the VA Special Fellowship in Advanced Geriatrics, and the Claude D. Pepper Older Americans Independence Center.
Leslie Scheunemann, MD, MPH
Steven Handler, MD, PhD
For more information, please contact:
Janet Parham
Medical Education Program Academic Manager
412-802-8615
parhamj2@upmc.edu