Accomplishments for Geriatrics

2023

October, 2023 - Dr. Jessica H. Voit was the recipient of the 2023 Leaders in Clinical Excellence Rising Star Award. This award recognizes exceptional early-career clinical faculty whose actions and activities consistently exemplify enthusiasm, commitment, professionalism, and leadership.

2022

Dr. Jessica H. Voit has been accepted to the 2022-23 Tideswell AGS Emerging Leaders in Aging Program!

2021

Dr. Jessica H. Voit graduated from the LEAD (Leadership in Academic Departments Program for Junior Faculty and Scientists) program with Honors as one of five Dean's Award Winners. Dr. Voit's poster was titled "A UT Southwestern Hospital Elder Life Program: HELP to Reduce Delirium in the Hospital".

Dr. Vivyenne Roche has been awarded a 2021 University of Texas Regents' Outstanding Teaching award. Congratulations, Dr. Roche!

The Division of Geriatric Medicine is delighted to welcome Drs. Deborah Freeland, Assistant Professor and Ravindra Bharadwaj, Associate Professor to our faculty.

Dr. Freeland recently completed her fellowship at UT Southwestern. She been selected as a 2021-2022 Health and Aging Policy Fellow. "The program is designed to build a cadre of geriatric and gerontology professionals who can help shape a positive and healthy future for older Americans by contributing valuable science and practice knowledge to the health care policy arena as well as bringing greater awareness and sophistication in health policy to the clinical and scientific communities. The Health and Aging Policy Fellows Program is funded by The John A. Hartford Foundation, the West Health Policy Center and The Atlantic Philanthropies."
Dr. Bharadwaj comes to us from Texas Tech University Health Science Center in Amarillo where he held the Endowed Chair in Geriatric Oncology.

July, 2021 - UT Southwestern Geriatrics was ranked #23 on US News and World Report's Best Hospitals for Geriatrics. This is up two places from last year. Congratulations!

The Division of Geriatric Medicine welcomes Guy Vin "Binny" Chang, MD as a Geriatric Medicine Fellow for the 2021-2022 academic year! Binny joins us from the University of South Dakota Sanford School of Medicine where she completed her residency in Internal Medicine.

Dr. Namirah Jamshed was appointed Chair of the Racial Equality Diversity and Inclusion (REDI) committee.

May, 2021 - Dr. Craig D. Rubin received the Distinguished Clinical Science Award.

The 2021 Lorraine Sulkin-Schein Medical Student Award in Geriatric Medicine went to Dr. Logan Mills.

Dr. Sarah Wingfield was named Associate Program Director of the Internal Medicine Residency Program.

Dr. Donald Richards was awarded the 2021 Schein Housestaff award.

February, 2021 - Welcome to Dr. Manju Mathew! Dr. Mathew is joining our group as an assistant professor and completed her fellowship in geriatrics at UCLA.

2020

November, 2020 - UT Southwestern Geriatrics was awarded the 2020 NICHE and ABIM Foundation Choosing Wisely® Trailblazer Award. This award recognizes the clinical team for improving care for older adults in one of the clinical areas identified by the American Academy of Nursing's Choosing Wisely® recommendations.

November, 2020 - Dr. Jessica Voit was accepted into the 2021 Leadership Emerging in Academic Departments (LEAD) Program at UT Southwestern. Congratulations Dr. Voit!!

October, 2020 - Dr. Namirah Jamshed received the 2020 Leaders in Clinical Excellence Award for her "Care of the Vulnerable Elderly (COVE) Program". This award celebrates the innovation and collaboration that are foundational to the success of UT Southwestern Medical Center. It recognizes a group of clinical faculty and staff who have worked together as a team to create, develop, and sustain an innovative program that significantly advances our ability to improve the care received by our patients.

PREVANTABLE Study
PRagmatic EValuation of evENTs And Benefits of Lipid-lowering in OldEr adults

  • PREVENTABLE is one of the largest studies in adults 75 years and older.
  • PREVENTABLE is funded by Duke Clinical Research Institute in partnership with the National Institute on Aging (NIA) and National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI), who are overseeing the study.
  • PREVENTABLE will help generate knowledge and determine the value of statins in older adults whom risk/benefit for primary preventions.
  • The study is designed as a multi-center, randomized, parallel group, placebo-controlled study. About 20,000 participants from many sites across the United States, age > 75 years without dementia, disability or clinically evident of cardiovascular disease will be randomized on a 1:1 ratio to placebo or atorvastatin 40 mg (a well-known statin commonly used to lower cholesterol prescribed to older adults).
  • The purpose of PREVENTABLE is to learn if taking statins may help older adults live a healthy, independently longer lifestyle by preventing dementia, disability or heart disease.
  • If you are interested in learning more about this study, please contact the study team: Gentina Thompson, Clinical Research Coordinator, UT Southwestern Medical Center, 5323 Harry Hines Blvd. Dallas, TX 75390-8889. Phone: 214-648-0205 Fax: 214-648-2087 or email gentina.thompson@utsouthwestern.edu

August, 2020 - UT Southwestern Geriatrics was ranked #25 on US News and World Report's Best Hospitals for Geriatrics.

August, 2020 - The Dallas Morning News published the article "Adult children care for seniors half a world away" about how Dr. Anupama Gangavati keeps tabs on her parents in India.

Dr. Anupama Gangavati has assumed the role of Site Principal Investigator for the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) funded study "Reducing Disparities in the Quality of Palliative Care for Older African Americans through Improved Advance Care Planning (EQUAL ACP)". This is a multisite clinical trial of 800 patients and caregivers. This study aims to compare the effectiveness of a structured advance care planning approach to a patient-driven, self-management advance care planning approach in: 1) increasing advance care planning among African-American and White older adults with advanced, chronic illness and 2) reducing racial disparities in ACP.

July, 2020 - The Silver Century Foundation published the article "Older and Wiser—but Dizzier" by Mary Jacobs where Dr. Anupama Gangavati discusses dizziness.

May, 2020 - The article "The Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease in Older Adults", co-authored by Dr. Vivyenne Roche, was published in the Journal of the American Geriatric Society.

Dr. Anupama Gangavati was recently inducted into the newest class of American Geriatrics Society (AGS) Fellows. AGS Fellows like Dr. Gangavati represent a distinguished cohort of geriatrics experts recognized for a deep commitment to advancing high-quality, person-centered care for all older adults. Congratulations, Dr. Gangavati!

2019

Dr. Sarah Wingfield was awarded a Geriatrics Academic Career Award from the Health Resources & Services Administration for her project entitled "Educating Interprofessional Teams to Provide Optimal Perioperative Care for Older Adults". This four year grant will allow her to educate learners from various disciplines on providing optimal care for older adults in the perioperative period. Congratulations, Dr. Wingfield!

July, 2019 - US News & World Report ranked UT Southwestern Geriatric Medicine #20 in the nation for geriatrics. This accomplishment is a tribute to the high-quality care and exceptional patient experience provided by medical providers and staff at UTSW Geriatric Medicine.

Dr. Thomas Dalton was selected for the 19/20 SWAT/OME Fellowship Program. This fellowship is highly competitive and supports a year of faculty development in medical education. Congratulations, Dr. Dalton!

July, 2019 - The Mildred Wyatt & Ivor P. Wold Center for Geriatric Care received a certificate of Influenza Immunization Excellence in recognition of consistently providing patient education and awareness of the flu vaccine. The Center for Geriatric Care was one of six clinics recognized as a top contributor to the 2018 flu vaccine campaign.

Dr. Shayna Ratner was awarded the Lorraine Sulkin-Schein Medical Student Award in Geriatric Medicine and the North Texas Society of Psychiatric Physicians Award for Outstanding Medical Student in Psychiatry.

Dr. Sarah Wingfield has been chosen for the 2019-2020 Tideswell, AGS, and ADGAP Emerging Leaders in Aging Program. She is part of a select group to participate in this high value, intensive, leadership program based at UCSF with faculty from across the country.

March, 2019 - Welcome to Dr. Anupama Gangavati! Dr. Gangavati trained as a fellow in Geriatric Medicine at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School. She is board certified in both Geriatric Medicine and Internal Medicine.

January, 2019 - Dr. Thomas Dalton was the recipient of the 2018 Clinical Excellence Rising Star Award. This award recognizes exceptional early-career clinical faculty whose actions and activities consistently exemplify enthusiasm, commitment, professionalism, and leadership.

Dr. Vivyenne Roche was elected a member of the University of Texas System Kenneth I. Shine, MD Academy of Health Science Education for 2019. This honor reflects her accomplishments and commitment to the highest standards of health education instruction.

2018

Welcome to Dr. Jessica Voit! She started with us on October 1, 2018 after completing her fellowship in Geriatric Medicine at UT Southwestern in August 2018.

August, 2018 - UT Southwestern Geriatrics was ranked #18 on US News and World Report's Best Hospitals for Geriatrics.

Dr. Craig Rubin was inducted into the Kenneth I. Shine, M.D., Academy of Health Science Education in February, 2018.

Geriatric Medicine Welcomes our 2018/2019 Incoming Fellows, Caitlin Brewer, MD from Methodist Dallas and Emily Bowen, MD from UTSW.

January, 2018 - Dr. Joseph Flaherty was appointed as an adjunct clinical professor to Geriatric Medicine.

2017

September, 2017 - Dr. Ramona Rhodes has been promoted to Associate Professor.

Dr. Ramona Rhodes is the site investigator for two five year grants from PCORI:

  1. Reducing Disparities in the Quality of Palliative Care for Older African Americans through Improved Advance Care Planning (EQUAL ACP)
  2. Comparative Effectiveness of Early Integrated Telehealth Versus In-Person Palliative Care for Patients with Advanced Lung Cancer

An anonymous donation has established the Geriatric Medicine Fund in Honor of Craig D. Rubin, M.D. to support the Division of Geriatric Medicine at UT Southwestern

UT Southwestern ranked #24 for Geriatrics in the Best Hospital Rankings by US News and World Report.

Dr. Craig Rubin was selected as a 2017 Regents' Outstanding Teaching Award recipient.

June, 2017 - Dr. Lynne Kirk has been elected Chair of the American Medical Association Council on Medical Education.

April, 2017 - Dr. Ramona Rhodes was named the Vice Chair of Ethics Committee for the American Geriatrics Society.

March, 2017 - Craig Rubin, M.D. has been selected to hold the Sinor/Pritchard (Katy Sinor and Kay Pritchard) Professorship in Medical Education Honoring Donald W. Seldin, M.D.

February, 2017 - Lynne Kirk, M.D. was officially recognized as the 2017 President of the Kenneth I. Shine M.D. Academy of Health Science Education during the organization's annual conference, held Feb. 16-17 in Austin.

January, 2017 - Craig Rubin, M.D. received the Center for Mineral Metabolism and Clinical Research endowed professor collaborative research award for his proposal entitled "Investigating bone and skeletal muscle interaction in men with prostate cancer treated with androgen deprivation therapy".

2016

UT Southwestern ranked #31 for Geriatrics in the Best Hospital Rankings by US News and World Report.

Dr. Ramona Rhodes was awarded an American Cancer Society Cancer Control Career Development Award.

Dr. Namirah Jamshed was awarded a Practice Change Leaders for Aging and Health award from the Atlantic Philanthropies and John A. Harford Foundation

Dr. Lynne Kirk has been awarded the following:

  • 2016 Platinum Achievement Award for Excellence in Academic Medicine from TMA
  • D Magazine's Best Doctors in Geriatrics
  • She is Chair-elect of the Council on Medical Education of the AMA
  • She is President-elect of the UT Health Sciences Academy of Education

Dr. Thomas Dalton has been named as an Associate Program Director for the Internal Medicine residency.

Dr. Thomas Dalton was selected to Super Doctors Rising Stars in Geriatric Medicine 2016-Published in June edition of Texas Monthly.

Dr. Thomas Dalton and the 12 South staff at Clements University Hospital were instrumental in getting a NICHE (Nurses Improving Care for Healthsystem Elders) accreditation for CUH

Dr. Vivyenne Roche was awarded Outstanding Teacher Award voted by Medical Students 2018.

The Division of Geriatric Medicine received an anonymous donation in the amount of $50,000 for medical student research training and a T35 grant from NIA to support medical student training in aging research.

2015

Awarded 3rd place prize for the Knowledge and Attitudes surrounding Medical Error Disclosure of Interprofessional Students after Engagement in a Simulated Patient Encounter at the Annual Reynolds meeting in 2015.

UT Southwestern Divsion of Geriatrics was ranked #43 in the Best Hospital Rankings by the US News and World Report.

2014

An anonymous $100,000 gift has been received to support Medical Student Training in Aging Research.

Craig D. Rubin, MD has been named master of Seldin College.

Dr. Ramona Rhodes has been selected as a representative of the American Geriatrics Society on the Joint Commission Professional and Technical Advisory Committe for rehabilitation and nursing for 2014-15.

The Ivor and Mildred Wold Charitable Fund of Communities Foundation of Texas has once again provided a gift of $100,000 to the Southwestern Medical Foundation. The donation will be added to the Mildred and Ivor P. Wold Center for Geriatric Care endowment.

2013

The Geriatrics Section previously within the Division of General Internal Medicine became the Division of Geriatric Medicine on 9/1/2013.

Geriatrics takes top prize at the 2013 Reynolds Grantees Meeting in St. Louis, MO.
It's My Old Back Again: An Approach to Diagnosing and Managing Back Pain in the Older Adult was the awarded 3rd place in the "Product of the Year" competition. This highly interactive module, was developed by Una E. Makris, MD, Vivyenne Roche, MD, and Lindsay Oksenberg, MA, CMI.

Ramona Rhodes, MD, was the recipient of the Outstanding Committee Service Award from the Ethics Committee of the American Geriatrics Society.

Vivyenne Roche, MD, was the recipient of the Outstanding Committee Service Award from the Ethnogeriatrics Committee of the American Geriatrics Society.

UT-SAGE program was awarded second place for a Health Science Education Innovation Award at the Annual Innovations in Health and Science Education Conference held February 22, 2013 in Austin sponsored by the University of Texas Academy of Health Science Education.

The Ivor and Mildred Wold Charitable Fund of Communities Foundation of Texas has provided another gift of $100,000 to the Southwestern Medical Foundation. The donation will be added to the Mildred and Ivor P. Wold Center for Geriatric Care endowment.

2012

Geriatrics takes top prize at the 2012 Reynolds Grantees Meeting in St. Louis, MO.
Urinary Incontinence in the Elderly was the awarded 2nd place in the "Product of the Year" competition. This highly interactive module, was developed by Philip Zimmern, MD, Craig Rubin, MD, and Lindsay Oksenberg, MA, CMI.

Craig Rubin, MD, received the first UT Southwestern Innovation in Medical Education Award.

Amit Shah, MD, was elected to UT Southwestern Academy of Teachers.

The Ivor and Mildred Wold Charitable Fund of Communities Foundation of Texas has provided a gift of $100,000 to the Southwestern Medical Foundation. The donation will be added to the Mildred and Ivor P. Wold Center for Geriatric Care endowment.

Roopali Gupta, MD, was awarded a UT Health Science Education Small Grant by the UT Academy of Health Science Education in January 2012.

Ramona Rhodes, MD, will lead a workshop entitled "Feeding Tube Use in Persons with Advanced Dementia: Where Are We Now?" at the 2012 AGS meeting.

In addition, at the same 2012 AGS meeting, Vivyenne Roche, MD, will lead a workshop entitled "Don't get Lost in Translation - a Practical Approach to Cultural Competency".

Belinda Vicioso, MD, was appointed Program Chair of The American Geriatrics Society (AGS).

Drs. Craig Rubin, Vivyenne Roche, Amit Shah and Belinda Vicioso, were named on the 2011-2012 U.S. News & World Report's list of top doctors!

2011

Geriatrics takes top prize at the 2011 Reynolds Grantees Meeting in St. Louis, MO.
Numb and Number: A Practical Approach to Periperhal Neuropathy was the awarded "Product of the Year". This highly interactive module was developed by Mike Singer, MD, PhD, Vivyenne Roche, MD, and Lindsay Oksenberg, MA, CMI.

Trammell Crow Residential gives $100,000 to support the Margaret and Trammell Crow Distinguished Chair in Alzheimer's and Geriatric Research. The chair, established in 2002, is held by Craig Rubin, MD.

Craig Rubin, MD, has been named to the National Quality Forum's (NQF) Resource Use Project: Phase II Bone/Joint Technical Advisory Panel. NQF is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to improve the quality of American healthcare. Its private- and public-sector membership work together to create and implement solutions to continuously improve the quality of the American healthcare system.

Belinda Vicioso, MD, was presented with an American Geriatrics Society Service award at the 2011 AGS meeting in Washington, D.C. She was also named one of four co-editors of the eighth edition of the Geriatrics Review Syllabus, which contains the latest developments in geriatric medicine. The review syllabus is authored by more than 150 medical experts on the care of older persons.

Amit Shah, MD, is the new Editor-in-Chief of the Portal of Geriatric Online Education Geriatrics Education Modules (POGOe web-GEM). This national curriculum aims to create a virtual case-based geriatrics curriculum which links the AAMC Geriatrics Competencies to a series of cases for medical students.

Dr. Shah was also selected by the first year medical school class for the "Outstanding Lecturer Award" for his lectures on geriatrics in the first year curriculum. In addition he was selected by the fourth year medical school class as one of six faculty from all UT Southwestern faculty to be a Faculty Marshall at the 2011 medical school graduation.

Vivyenne Roche, MD, was appointed for a three-year term to the American Geriatrics Society Ethnogeriatrics committee of the American Geriatrics Society. This committee focuses on cultural competencies for health care professionals and addresses health disparities in patient care.

Kathryn Eubank, MD, was appointed as a mentor in Prichard College. Faculty, chosen because of their dedication to patients, teaching, and professionalism, serve as role models as well as advisors.

2010

Geriatrics takes top prize at the 2010 Reynolds Grantees Meeting in St. Louis, MO.
SAGE Intrinsic Aging: A Histological Perspective: Skin Module takes home "Product of the Year". The module, developed by Judith Head, PhD, Amit Shah, MD, and Lindsay Oksenberg, MA, CMI, fills a wide gap in content knowledge and is the first of a series of highly interactive web-based modules being developed by the Geriatrics SAGE team.

Ramona Rhodes, MD, a geriatrician clinician researcher with a focus on racial disparities in hospice use and end-of-life care, received a 2010 Merck/AGS New Investigator award. This Award is awarded to individuals whose original research, as presented in a submitted abstract, reflects new and relevant research in geriatrics, and are designed to recognize individuals who are committed to a career in aging research.

Roopali Gupta, MD, a geriatrician clinician educator, was awarded a prestigious HRSA Geriatrics Academic Career Award. Her grant, "Teaching interprofessional learners an individualized approach for geriatric preventive medicine", is a 5-year award which proposes development and implementation of novel interprofessional curriculum addressing the complexities of providing preventive medicine to older adults.

Lynne Kirk, MD, received the Distinguished Clinical Science Educator Award of the Year.

Kathryn Eubank, MD, received the MS4 Core Clerkship Teaching Award.