Program Overview

The Association of Directors of Geriatric Academic Programs, in collaboration with Boston University, is planning a national dissemination of Boston University Medical Center's (BUMC) successful Chief Resident Immersion Training (CRIT) Program in the Care of Older Adults. The CRIT program at Boston University was developed with funding from the Donald W. Reynolds Foundation. The program focuses on providing chief residents with a combination of training focused on improving Chief Residents' understanding of geriatric principles and their leadership and teaching skills. We focus on Chief Residents because of the key roles that they play in the quality of patient care, medical student and resident training, mediating between faculty, nursing staff, and residents, and communicating with patients and families.

The CRIT program fosters collaboration among disciplines in the management of complex older patients. Program participants include both Chief Residents and faculty responsible for residency training in surgical and medical specialties. The program brings these individuals together for an intensive two and a half day retreat focused on:

• Incorporating geriatric principles into Chief Resident teaching and administrative roles
• Developing Chief Resident teaching and leadership skills with a focus on the care of complex older patients
• Enhancing leadership and teaching skills that are necessary for a successful term as Chief Resident
• Enhancing Chief Residents' ability to collaborate with other disciplines in the management of complex older patients
• Developing an "achievable" project for Chief Residents focused on a geriatrics issue that can be carried out during their Chief Residency year

Now in its fifth year, the program has been very successful at BUMC - producing an institution-wide cultural change in residency training. Over the four years that this program has been in operation at BUMC, the CRIT program has improved Chief Residents' geriatrics knowledge and skills. Of the twelve chief residents participating in the first program, ten went on to complete projects focused on geriatrics topics during the course of their CRIT year.

For program related questions contact:

Sharon A. Levine, MD
Associate Professor of Medicine
Boston University School of Medicine
Geriatrics Section
88 East Newton Street, Robinson 2
Boston, MA 02118
salevine@bu.edu


For administrative questions contact:

Joe Douglas
Coordinator
Association of Directors of Geriatric Academic Programs
The American Geriatrics Society
The Empire State Building
350 Fifth Avenue, Suite 801
New York, New York 10118
Phone: 212-308-1414
Fax: 212-832-8646
jdouglas@americangeriatrics.org