Dementia Care: Bench to Community

1. Dementia Care: Bench to Community Wonita Youm, B.S. Ruth Mulnard, DNSc, Shirley Sirivong, Lisa Gibbs, M.D., Ann Abrams, LCSW. University of California, Irvine • Objectives • Create an interdisciplinary experience in Geriatrics for medical students • Integrate clinical, laboratory, and community experiences • Generate interest in Geriatrics and implement a sustainable program that can be offered annually to medical students • Methods • Prepared a schedule that eased student into the experience • Front-loaded the student’s summer experience in order to provide student time to further extend any interests • Provided a point person to coordinate the student’s schedule and periodically check on the student’s progress • Outcomes and Future • Student reported that the fellowship was well-rounded • Increased student’s interest in serving the geriatric population • Provided the student with first-time exposure to clinical trials, first-hand exposure to neurology and geriatrics, and to the unique needs of the elderly • Program is being offered again for the summer of 2011 Student’s Summer Schedule • Special Thanks to: • Reynolds Foundation Grant • Coordinators: Dr. Ruth Mulnard, Shirley Sirivong, Dr. Lisa Gibbs, Ann Abrams • Neurologist: Dr. Gaby Thai • Neuropsychologist: Dr. Malcolm Dick • Neuropathologist: Dr. Ronald Kim • Senior Psychometrist: Susan Randhawa • Clinical Trials: Catherine McAdams-Ortiz, Beatriz Yanez • Tissue repository/Lab: Dr. Wayne Poon • Alzheimer’s Association Director: Deborah O’Connor • Alzheimer’s Family Services: Dr. Tonia Vojtkofsky