Introduction
To gather knowledge
and to find new knowledge
is the noblest occupation
of the physician.
To apply that knowledge...
with sympathy born of understanding,
to the relief of human suffering
is [his/her] loveliest occupation.
- Edward Archibald (1872-1945)
Excellence in geriatrics and gerontology requires a harmonious integration of clinical and social medicine with basic scientific research. It is only through a comprehensive, interdisciplinary and holistic approach towards the aging process that the best diagnostic, preventive and therapeutic strategies can be designed for the older individual of tomorrow.
At the Reynolds Department of Geriatrics and Institute on Aging, we are committed to train the best and brightest from around the country in aging research. We are fortunate at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) to have many senior faculty members in all disciplines and spheres of medicine and research who have expressed a strong interest in participating in the training of junior faculty and students.
Research Areas
Research at UAMS and the Donald W. Reynolds Department of Geriatrics can be clustered into several overlapping areas: Cellular & Molecular Biology of Aging; Cancer; Cardiovascular System; Frailty Prevention; Nutrition, Metabolism & Exercise; Long-Term Care; and Cognitive Disorders. These research areas encompass a number of significant projects, including those in Alzheimer’s disease, exercise and wellness, health services, cardiovascular fitness and basic cardiovascular research, frailty and age-related muscle loss, and clinical and social outcomes research for elder health enhancement.
History of UAMS
UAMS is the only comprehensive academic health center in Arkansas. Founded in 1879 as a proprietary medical school by a group of eight physicians with 22 students, the institution is now a part of the University of Arkansas System with about 1,875 students in five academic units: the College of Medicine, College of Pharmacy, College of Nursing, College of Health Related Professions, and the Graduate School. The university pursues its three-fold mission — to teach, to search, to serve — through educational programs in the Colleges, biomedical and biotechnology research initiatives, and clinical programs for patients at University Hospital and its affiliated clinics.
UAMS has a longstanding commitment to geriatrics. As far back as the 1970s, UAMS has collaborated with the Geriatric Research, Educational, and Clinical Center (GRECC), a part of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) at the John L. McClellan Memorial Veterans Hospital, to promote research and training in the changes experienced by older adults. Robust programs in geriatrics and gerontology were developed during this time in other colleges at UAMS, including a program on gerontological dementia research in the College of Nursing, and development of the first mandatory rotations in geriatrics in the College of Medicine and College of Pharmacy.
The Donald W. Reynolds Institute on Aging was established in 1995, and the Donald W. Reynolds Department of Geriatrics was established in 1997. The Department has brought together expertise in geriatrics throughout the campus and continues to facilitate synergistic collaboration among the various disciplines at UAMS. Recognizing the need to promote lifelong independence and prepare for the aging of the “Baby Boom” generation, the Donald W. Reynolds Institute on Aging and Department of Geriatrics; the colleges of Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, Health Related Professions; and the Graduate School have adopted this mission statement: “To deliver quality health care for older persons, conduct research on aging and age-related diseases, provide educational programs on aging for healthcare professionals and the public, and influence public policy on aging issues.”
The Donald W. Reynolds Department of Geriatrics has a very strong research component that is bolstered by and benefits from collaboration with the GRECC, where a significant amount of geriatric research is conducted. Grant support at the Donald W. Reynolds Department of Geriatrics and Institute on Aging makes up 20% of the total grant support on the UAMS campus. Led by a group of nationally acclaimed basic and clinical researchers, the Donald W. Reynolds Department of Geriatrics continues to change the landscape of healthcare for the aging population in America.
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