UNE's medical school earns Program of Merit designation from international gerontology association
The University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine’s Division of Geriatrics has been awarded the prestigious Program of Merit for Health Professions (POM) designation by the Academy for Gerontology in Higher Education (AGHE).
UNE is the first osteopathic medical school to receive this five-year designation, highlighting the institution’s dedication to cultivating students’ knowledge, skills, and attitudes in geriatrics care and advancing education on age-friendly health care through innovative curricula and experiential engagement with older-adult-community residents and patients.
The recognition celebrates the Division of Geriatrics’ alignment with AGHE curriculum competency standards and its role in promoting high-quality care for older adults. The unanimous decision by the AGHE Program of Merit review team additionally underscores the commitment of Maine’s only medical school to shaping future health care leaders with strong foundations in geriatrics medicine.
The team’s review commended several key strengths of UNE’s geriatrics curriculum and programming, including:
- Leadership in providing geriatrics education; as early as 2009, UNE COM offered 12 hours of geriatrics instruction to students at that time, far exceeding the national average of two hours
- Incorporating AGHE competencies into the medical curriculum; since 2014, UNE COM has increased lecture hours and implemented an additional 34 hours of direct student contact with older adults across the care spectrum for applied learning in geriatrics
- Innovative student research experiences, including dedicated nursing home and hospice immersions, to increase student exposure to older adult care
- A mission-driven approach to education that emphasizes and provides student opportunities for older adult advocacy, clinical services, and scholarly research activities
- UNE’s designation as an Age-Friendly University and the University’s proactive stance on addressing aging across all health professions programs
- Student engagement and leadership, with approximately one-third of the 180 students in each UNE COM class participating in the college’s student chapter of both the American Geriatrics Society (AGS) and the Gerontological Society of America, underscoring their commitment to aging-related education and professional development
- A commitment to continuous quality improvement and assessment of learning outcomes to ensure that future graduates are well-prepared to meet the evolving demands of geriatrics care
Marilyn R. Gugliucci, M.A., Ph.D., professor and director of geriatrics education and research in the College of Osteopathic Medicine, said the AGHE POM designation aligns seamlessly with UNE’s goal of fostering globally competent health care leaders through practice, research, and community health initiatives.
“Being awarded the AGHE Program of Merit is an incredible honor,” said Gugliucci, who, in 2015, chaired the committee charged with developing the application for the POM designation. “Geriatrics is a ‘team sport,’ and UNE is already ahead of the curve in focusing on interprofessional, team-based care.”
Each student who graduates from UNE COM during the five-year designation period will receive a certificate from the AGHE, a membership group of the Gerontological Society of America (GSA), that notes the College of Osteopathic Medicine is a recognized AGHE Program of Merit for its integration of geriatrics competencies and that each student has completed these competencies during their time as a medical student.
Graduates will also be provided with an honors citation for their curriculum vitae, denoting their accomplishments in completing UNE COM’s nationally recognized geriatrics competencies.
“The truth is that every medical student, regardless of the medical field they enter, will be working with older people,” Gugliucci said. “Our students are already dedicated to person-centered care. With the compelling demographic rise in the number of older adults and increases in life span, our students will be key to increasing the health span of those years.”
The Program of Merit designation will be formally celebrated at the upcoming Annual Scientific Meeting of the Gerontological Society of America in Seattle in November.
Gugliucci said the Division of Geriatrics remains committed to expanding its impact and preparing students to excel across health care fields. As the program looks toward its transition to UNE’s Portland Campus for the Health Sciences, opportunities for further interprofessional education and geriatrics training are already underway.
Notably, in June, UNE received nearly $5 million from the Health Resources and Services Administration’s Geriatrics Workforce Enhancement Program to bolster Maine’s geriatrics workforce.
The five-year grant, known as AgingME, will support educational resources for students and health providers, as well as age- and dementia-friendly care for older adults in Maine, with particular emphasis on developing the direct care workforce, enhancing rural education, and creating more dementia-inclusive communities.
“UNE COM’s Division of Geriatrics continues to exemplify the college’s values of compassion, excellence, and innovation,” said Jane Carreiro, D.O. ’88, vice president for Health Affairs and dean of the College of Osteopathic Medicine. “This designation from the AGHE affirms our commitment to preparing students who are ready to address the unique health needs of older adults and foster well-being in communities locally and globally.”