Multidisciplinary Geriatrics (Certificate)

Overview

The Multidisciplinary Geriatrics Certificate Program is designed to provide pragmatic training to graduate students or practitioners in a relevant clinical health professions area (Advanced Practice Provider, Dentistry, Medicine, Nursing, Occupational Therapy, Pharmacy, Physical Therapy, Psychology, Social Work, or Speech-Language Pathology) who want to develop competencies in Geriatrics which can be applied across multiple professional settings. Trainees will complete geriatric-specific education requirements and clinical rotations for multidisciplinary didactic and hands-on experiential training.

Program courses will be delivered in an multidisciplinary learning environment that mirrors the geriatric care work setting. The didactic material focuses on coordinating care, using age-friendly medication, managing dementia and delirium, maximizing mobility and function, and aligning health outcome goals and care preferences among older adults.

Admissions Requirements

This program is designed for those currently engaged in graduate study or clinical practice in a relevant health professions area (Advanced Practice Provider, Dentistry, Medicine, Nursing, Occupational Therapy, Pharmacy, Physical Therapy, Psychology, Social Work, or Speech-Language Pathology).
Degree: BA/BS
GPA: Minimum of 3.00 recommended

Certificate Requirements

Complete a total of 12 credit hours over a 1-year period:

Course List
Code	Title	Hours
Complete the following 8 credits:
GERI 6810	Foundations in Geriatrics	2.5
GERI 6811	Foundations in Geriatrics - 2	2.5
GERI 6820	Mini-Clinical Rotations	1
GERI 6821	Mini-Clinical Rotations - 2	1
GERI 6840	Independent Study	1
Complete an additional 4 credits:		4
Clinical transfer credit hours as approved by Certificate Director, OR
GERI 6830	Quality Improvement Learning Project
Total Hours		12

Learning Objectives

Describe key points of health promotion and aging using the 5Ms of Age-Friendly Health Systems.
Understand how to align care with older adults’ specific health outcome goals and care preferences, across settings of care.
Understand the reasons for and approach to using age-friendly medication that does not interfere with older adults’ preferences, mobility, or mentation across settings of care.
Understand how to prevent, identify, treat, and manage delirium across settings of care.
Understand how to ensure that older adults move safely every day to maintain function and preferred health outcomes.
Understand how to coordinate care among older adults with multiple chronic conditions.
Articulate discipline-specific knowledge as it relates to the 5Ms of Age-Friendly Health Systems.
Be conversant and knowledgeable of the process of research generation and Evidence-Based Practice (EBP).
Critically critique and synthesize the relevant body of research literature.
Develop clinical strategies for implementation of relevant research findings.
Develop clinical knowledge, skills, and understanding of applying geriatrics-friendly concepts in varied clinical environments.

Courses

GERI 6810 - Foundations in Geriatrics (2.5 Credits)

This course is designed for health professions graduate students who seek to obtain multidisciplinary knowledge of the aging process. The content provides an overview of the biological, psychological, and social dimensions of aging as they relate to best practices in geriatric healthcare.