# The Weill Cornell Medicine Research Training Program in Behavioral Geriatrics

> **NIH NIH T32** · WEILL MEDICAL COLL OF CORNELL UNIV · 2021 · $368,349

## Abstract

Weill Cornell Post-Doctoral Training Program in Behavioral Geriatrics (TPiBG)
The TPiBG develops independent investigators capable of conducting patient-oriented research to improve the
quality of life and quality of care of older adults. Behavioral Geriatrics is a scientific orientation that integrates
social/behavioral approaches with geriatric medicine approaches to study clinically significant and pressing
issues of aging (e.g., pain, cognitive impairment, polypharmacy, caregiving, end-of-life medical decision-
making, bereavement). The Program, led by Cary Reid, MD, PhD and Holly Prigerson, PhD, accepts both MD
and PhD postdoctoral trainees (2/year) seeking careers integrating biomedical and innovative social/behavioral
approaches to improve care and care outcomes in older adults. A formal didactic core curriculum covers topics
including clinical and psychosocial epidemiology, community-based participatory research, trial design as
related to the study of older adults, scientific rigor and reproducibility and role of technology in aging research.
Completing the Cornell CTSC Master’s degree or Certificate Program in Clinical Research is mandatory for MD
trainees. Trainees participate in monthly “work-in-progress” sessions and a monthly Trainees’ Forum provides
instruction in the presentation and publication of results, ethical conduct of research, grant preparation, and
helps to build career development skills. Biostatisticians and data entry and management personnel from
existing grants are available to assist T32 trainees. The centerpiece of the training is Co-Mentored research in
Year 1, culminating in a Year 2 research project for which the Trainee serves as PI under Co-Mentor
supervision. Our cadre of experienced and successful core faculty mentors include PI Reid (management of
multifactorial pain in later life), Co-PI Prigerson (care of patients and families at end of life), Dr. Ronald
Adelman (palliative care), Dr. Mark Lachs (elder abuse), Dr. Sara J. Czaja (aging and technology) and Dr.
Monika Safford (healthcare equity), and Drs. Karl Pillemer and Elaine Wethington (social isolation/integration).
Trainees are immediately integrated into a large, ”research-ready” network of New York City organizations
serving ethnically diverse older adults. Trainee recruitment resources include featuring the program in-person
and at annual, research meetings, including the Gerontological Society of America and American Academy of
Hospice and Palliative Medicine. Further strengths include: (1) geriatric and social/behavioral science co-
mentorship, (2) well-established infrastructure and flexible, tailored mentorship plans; (3) clearly articulated
metrics to gauge progress (published papers, national presentations, funded career awards); and (4)
membership in a diverse network of behavioral geriatrics researchers. Institutional strengths include an
outstanding pipeline of potential trainees and multiple aging-related Center grants and R01s to suppor...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10173221
- **Project number:** 2T32AG049666-06
- **Recipient organization:** WEILL MEDICAL COLL OF CORNELL UNIV
- **Principal Investigator:** Holly Gwen Prigerson
- **Activity code:** T32 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $368,349
- **Award type:** 2
- **Project period:** 2016-05-01 → 2026-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10173221

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10173221, The Weill Cornell Medicine Research Training Program in Behavioral Geriatrics (2T32AG049666-06). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10173221. Licensed CC0.

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