Geriatric Academic Career Awards Department of Health and Human Services

The purpose of the GACA program is to support the career development of individual junior faculty in geriatrics at accredited health professions schools or graduate programs approved by the Secretary, including schools of allopathic medicine, osteopathic medicine, nursing, dentistry, pharmacy, allied health, physician assistant programs, chiropractic, podiatric medicine, optometry, public health, and veterinary medicine, and accredited graduate programs in health administration and behavioral health and mental health practice including clinical psychology, clinical social work, professional counseling, and marriage and family therapy, and to provide clinical training in geriatrics, including the training of interprofessional teams of health care professionals. Tribes and tribal organizations are eligible if they otherwise meet the eligibility requirements. The goals of the program are for the GACA candidate to (a) develop the necessary skills to lead health care transformation in a variety of settings, including rural and/or medically underserved settings ; (b) be age–friendly, and (c) provide training in clinical geriatrics, including the training of interprofessional teams of healthcare professionals to provide healthcare for older adults. Program Objectives include: 1. Develop junior faculty career as an academic geriatrics specialist to address the above program goals; (2) Educate and train the healthcare workforce, within the context of the age-friendly health systems framework, to address dementia-risk reduction, dementia across the disease trajectory including training on dementia medications as they are approved for use and nursing home care, and (3) Advance the GACA candidate’s career development through participation in leadership positions in professional organizations.

Eligible applicant organizations include accredited health professions schools of graduate programs approved by the Secretary including schools of allopathic medicine, osteopathic medicine, nursing, dentistry, pharmacy, allied health, physician assistant programs, chiropractic, podiatric medicine, optometry, public health, and veterinary medicine, in addition to accredited graduate programs in health administration and behavioral health and mental health practice including clinical psychology, clinical social work, professional counseling and marriage and family therapy. Tribes and tribal organizations are eligible if they otherwise meet the eligibility requirements. Eligible applicant organizations must submit applications on behalf of eligible individuals applying for a Geriatric Academic Career Award. Eligible individuals must meet the following: A. Be board certified or board eligible in internal medicine, family practice, psychiatry, or licensed dentistry, or have completed any required training in a discipline and be employed in an accredited health professions school that is approved by the Secretary; B. Have completed an approved fellowship program in geriatrics or have completed specialty training in geriatrics as required by the discipline; and for disciplines that do not have specialty training in geriatrics, the GACA candidate must have completed an accredited graduate level certificate program in geriatrics within the past three years; (C) have a full-time junior, nontenured, faculty appointment in an accredited health professions school or graduate program in geriatrics or a geriatric health profession. If an eligible individual is promoted during the period of an award under this program and thereby no longer meets the criteria listed above, the individual shall continue to be treated as an eligible individual through the term of the award; D. Be a citizen of the United States, a foreign national having in his/her possession a visa permitting permanent residence in the United States. Federally Recognized Indian Tribal Government and Native American Organizations may apply if they are otherwise eligible.

A GACA candidate receiving support from grant funds must be a citizen, national, or permanent resident of the United States. Current and former GACA recipients are not eligible individuals for this GACA funding opportunity. Adjunct and associate professor positions are not eligible faculty appointments for this award. Eligible Individuals (GACA candidates) must: 1. Be board certified or board eligible in internal medicine, family practice, psychiatry, or licensed dentistry, or have completed any required training in a discipline and be employed in an accredited health professions school or graduate program or an program that is approved by the Secretary; and 2. Have completed an approved fellowship program in geriatrics or have completed specialty training in geriatrics as required by the discipline; and for disciplines that do not have specialty training in geriatrics, the GACA candidate must have completed an accredited graduate level certificate program in geriatrics within the past three years; and 3. Have a full-time junior, nontenured, faculty appointment in an accredited health professions school or graduate program in geriatrics or a geriatrics health profession. If an eligible individual is promoted during the period of an award under this program and thereby no longer meets the criteria listed above, the individual shall continue to be treated as an eligible individual through the term of the award. Junior faculty who are academic geriatric specialists at an accredited health professions school of allopathic medicine, osteopathic medicine, nursing, social work, psychology, dentistry, pharmacy, or allied health.

Notification is made in writing (electronic) by a Notice of Award.

Approximately 120 to 180 days.