Research/Academic Showcase
Texas Tech University
Howard Hughes Medical Institute Gives $1.5 Million to Texas Tech's Science Education Program
Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center
U.S. Congressman Visits Health Sciences Center's Department of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences
Alumni Highlights
Llano Wines and Texas Tech: a Tasty Combination
Catching Up With Your Fellow Red Raiders
Development
Endowed Chair Created in Wildlife Management
Athletics
Floren Named to PING All-America First Team
Pair of Red Raiders Named to Preseason Lists
Texas Tech University Press
New Book Lists Collections of Vintage Clothing
Helpful Links
Aging and Quality of Life
Health Sciences Center Researchers receive more than $1.5 Million for geriatrics training.
Development
Lynn Bickley, M.D., associate dean for curriculum at the Health Sciences Center School of Medicine and director of the project. Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center leaders have identified health care for the aging as one of five strategic priorities for the 21st century. By 2020 in Texas, one in five will be older than age 60 and the oldest-old population, 80 plus, will increase by 179 percent. More than 80 percent of those 65 and older will have at least one chronic health condition.
In May the Donald W. Reynolds Foundation awarded the Health Sciences Center School of Medicine a grant for $1,999,947 for the proposed project, Aging and Quality of Life in the Southwest: A Comprehensive Competency-Based Program to Strengthen Physicians’ Training in Geriatrics.
The grant, which is one of 10 grants awards totaling $20 million, will support comprehensive projects in academic health centers to train medical students, residents and practicing physicians in geriatrics. The goal of the Reynolds Foundation is to improve the quality of health care for elderly people across America by preparing physicians to address their special needs.
Lynn Bickley, M.D., associate dean for curriculum at the Health Sciences Center School of Medicine and director of the project, says this prestigious grant will bring expertise in geriatrics to physicians at all levels, from medical students, to residents and fellows, to faculty and community physicians.
“We plan a comprehensive training program, beginning with a required Geriatrics Track in our four-year undergraduate curriculum to teach the knowledge, skills and attitudes required to care for senior citizens,” Bickley said. “We will also create an innovative integrated geriatrics practice for primary care residents in internal and family medicine as well as neuropsychiatry.”
Steven L. Berk, M.D., dean of the School of Medicine, will serve as the project’s associate director. He spearheaded impressive growth in geriatric programs as regional dean in Amarillo. Bickley added that training activities will include twice-monthly geriatric podcasts for residents and practicing physicians. Also scheduled is geriatrics training for medical and surgical specialties directed to residents, fellows and faculty, beginning with the departments of surgery and orthopedics. Finally, the project will establish a Geriatrics Faculty Development Program to provide new training formats for faculty and practicing physicians.
Steven L. Berk, M.D., dean of the School of Medicine, will serve as the project’s associate director. Berk, who spearheaded impressive growth in geriatric programs as regional dean in Amarillo, said aging issues should matter to all of us. Stephanie Leeper, M.D., regional dean for faculty development in Amarillo and an experienced geriatrician, is also associate director for the project.
“The Reynolds Foundation grant places the Health Sciences Center School of Medicine at the cutting edge of training in geriatrics,” Berk says. “We are committed to providing greatly needed new training experiences in geriatrics, which will not only benefit our medical students, residents and faculty but also our patients.”
Forty-eight academic health centers applied for grants and 10 were chosen including Brown University, Florida State University, Harvard University, University of Arizona, University of California, University of Kansas, University of Utah, Vanderbilt University and Yeshiva University.
Stephanie Leeper, M.D., regional dean for faculty development in Amarillo and an experienced geriatrician, is also associate director for the project.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, Nev., it is one of the largest private foundations in the United States.
Related Links
Read about more Health Sciences Center research at www.hsc.edu.