Geriatric Education Center (GEC)
Director: Richard M. Allman, MD
Established: 1986
Mission and Demographics
The Geriatric Education Center (GEC) provides multidisciplinary geriatric training opportunities and outreach activities aimed toward improving the quality of life for the geriatric population. Although an independently established Center by the UAB Board of Trustees, the GEC serves as the educational arm of the UAB Center for Aging within which it is organizationally situated. Participants include physicians, social workers, nurses, dentists, pharmacists, psychologists, optometrists, occupational and physical therapists, dieticians, and other faculty, practitioners, and students. The Center currently has more than 140 appointed faculty representing 42 departments and 12 schools at UAB.
Center Activities
The Center offers a variety of events and programs that provide continuing geriatric education to multiple health care disciplines, consultation regarding geriatric team development and clinical programs, and assistance with curriculum development. Continuing educational programs offered include a weekly Geriatric Medicine interdisciplinary clinical conference and a weekly Scientific Seminar Series. In addition, Geriatric Medicine journal club is held every other week, and monthly journal clubs are held related to genitor-urinary and mobility disorders. The Center also provides outreach to the community through Pre-Retirement Programs and co-sponsorship of the New Horizons Program and education efforts of the Alzheimer Family Program.
Training
The Center’s training involves co-sponsoring Continuing Medical Education and Continuing Education Unit programs for health care professionals.