Welcome to the Division of Geriatric Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. As chief, I am honored to lead a division that is at the forefront of Geriatrics. In addition, I welcome the opportunity to brief you on our Division which is made up of board-certified physicians, nurse practitioners, nurses, social workers and support staff who provide a full range of primary and specialty medical care for older adults; investigators who explore a range of aging issues; and educators who design and deliver innovative teaching programs for interprofessional learners.
Our faculty members are regional and national leaders in aging research, clinical care, and education. Penn Geriatrics investigators research health disparities, Alzheimer’s disease, models of care that drive health system change, and the interface between socioeconomic status and disability. Our clinical experts are specialty trained in aging wellness with attention to the early diagnosis and effective treatment of conditions related to aging including dementia, perioperative care, chronic diseases, and palliative care.
Penn Geriatrics has been a leader in education for decades. Our Geriatric Medicine fellowship, which celebrated its 45th anniversary in 2024, is one of the first fellowship programs established in the country. We recognize that geriatric specialists are uniquely positioned to transform health care systems. As such, our fellowship program has an integrated leadership track through which we equip our trainees to assume future leadership roles.
We are pleased to augment our educational programming through our HRSA funded Geriatrics Workforce Enhancement Program (GWEP) that educates interprofessional trainees, healthcare professionals, older adults and their care partners on age-friendly and dementia friendly care principles. Our GWEP, Advancing Geriatrics Education with Strategic, Multidimensional, Age-Friendly, Resources and Training (AGE SMART), provides programming throughout Eastern Pennsylvania in collaboration with a range of educational and community partners.
I am delighted to invite you to learn more about our mission and vision, faculty, fellows and staff, clinical outreach programs, education and training opportunities, and ongoing research as you explore this website.
With best regards,
Lisa M. Walke, MD, MSHA, AGSF
William Maul Measey—Truman G. Schnabel, Jr., MD
Professor of Geriatric Medicine and Gerontology and
Chief, Division of Geriatric Medicine