Donald W. Reynolds Foundation Awards Nearly $2 Million to Emory University to Strengthen Training in Geriatric Medicine

Emory University
Wednesday, 19 November 2003

As both the number and percentage of Americans over 65 continues to grow, the nation's need for physicians trained to care for the elderly is mushrooming as well. Emory University School of Medicine plans to respond to those changing demographics with the support of a nearly $2 million grant from the Las Vegas, Nevada based Donald W. Reynolds Foundation, creating a new initiative called The Reynolds Foundation Program to Strengthen Physician Training in Geriatrics. Emory is one of ten sites to be awarded geriatric training grants by the foundation this year, making it one of only 20 such programs funded by the Reynolds Foundation to date in the U.S.

With the help of the grant money and institutional support, Emory will integrate geriatrics into medical student and residency training, as well as increase geriatric medicine knowledge among its teaching faculty. Methods of teaching include case-based learning, web technology and interactions with older adults, such as bedside teaching rounds and seniors trained to serve as simulated patients.

"The Reynolds Foundation grant places Emory at the cutting edge of training in geriatrics," says Joseph G. Ouslander, MD, professor of medicine and nursing and director of the Emory Center for Health in Aging. "Caring for people who are in their 80's and 90's is different in many important ways from medical care for middle aged and younger people. Physicians must be prepared to identify and manage the unique and complex needs of the elderly. Because of the tremendous growth in the older population and their extensive use of a wide variety of medical and surgical services, training in geriatrics is critical for all physicians."

Emory has one of the largest internal medicine training programs in the country, with nearly 200 residents trained yearly. Those residents, along with others in family medicine and emergency medicine, will receive a core curriculum in geriatrics with support from the Reynolds Foundation grant. More than 450 medical students annually will also be introduced to geriatric medicine during all four years of medical school through this training grant. Up to 16 Reynolds Program Faculty Scholars will receive individualized training in geriatrics.

"The Reynolds Foundation grant will provide greatly needed new and mandatory training experiences in geriatrics, which will not only benefit our medical students, residents and faculty, but also our patients," says Thomas J. Lawley, dean of Emory University School of Medicine. "This unique training initiative will help to keep Emory on the map as a true specialist in geriatrics care."

The Center for Health in Aging at Emory University is devoted to research, teaching and public education in order to enhance the clinical care provided to older adults by Wesley Woods Center and throughout Emory Healthcare. Its mission is to help people age in healthy, affordable, ethical and enjoyable ways.

The Donald W. Reynolds Foundation is a national philanthropic organization founded in 1954 by the late media entrepreneur for whom it is named. Headquartered in Las Vegas, it is one of the 50 largest private foundations in the United States.

For more information, or to contact Emory University, see their website at: whsc.emory.edu