Geriatric Medicine Approval Committees
The Approval Committees aim to maintain a composition that reflects the diversity and complexity of the physician and patient populations that certification serves. They comprise entirely practicing, board certified physicians with active certificates in their respective specialties.
Longitudinal Knowledge Assessment
Dr. Suchak is a clinician-educator and Associate Professor in the Department of Geriatrics at Florida State University College of Medicine in Tallahassee. She is ABIM Board Certified in Internal Medicine, Geriatric Medicine, and Hospice and Palliative Medicine. She has extensive clinical and leadership experience in a multitude of healthcare environments including outpatient, hospital, nursing home, rehabilitation facility, hospice, assisted living and house calls. She has previously organized geriatrics consultation programs with sub-specialties such as oncology, surgery, orthopedics and gynecology.
She is the immediate past president of the Florida Geriatrics Society and serves as Co-Chair for the American Geriatric Society (AGS) International Activities Special Interest Group. She regularly serves as the international coordinator and member of the organizing committee for the International Congress on Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine. She has presented regionally, nationally and internationally on various geriatric medicine and medical education topics. In 2012, Dr. Suchak received the Clinician of the Year Award from the AGS.
Dr. Suchak has a strong interest in medical education and interprofessional education. Her current teaching activities involve medical students, physician assistant students, medical residents and students from other health professions. Previously, she also taught geriatric medicine fellows. She contributes to curriculum development at the medical school as the Year 1 Clinical Skills Director, and through teaching activities that include students from all four years of medical school. She is interested in the use of simulation as a tool for medical education and is involved in creating and conducting simulation-based learning activities and assessing learning outcomes.
Dr. Suchak received her Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery from the Armed Forces Medical College (then affiliated with the University of Pune). She earned her master’s degree in clinical epidemiology at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and completed her internal medicine residency and geriatric medicine fellowship at MedStar Union Memorial Hospital.
As of October 2024, Dr. Suchak reported the following external relationships:
Dr. Suchak serves in significant roles with the following organizations, receiving reimbursement or compensation as listed:
- The Alzheimer’s Project, board member, without compensation
- The American Geriatrics Society, Education Committee, without compensation
- The Florida Geriatrics Society, Education Committee, chair, without compensation
- The Florida Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine, Education Committee, member, without compensation
- Florida Department of Health, Chair, Alzheimer's Disease Research Grant Advisory Board, without compensation.
Dr. Garfield is an Assistant Professor of Geriatric Medicine at the University of Colorado, where he also serves as the Associate Program Director of the Geriatric Fellowship. He is ABIM Board Certified in Internal Medicine and Geriatric Medicine. Dr. Garfield also serves on the ABIM Geriatric Medicine Board.
Dr. Garfield previously served as a primary care physician in a Pennsylvania PACE (Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly) and has contributed significantly to the University of North Texas Health Science Center and the University of Colorado. Throughout his career, Dr. Garfield has held esteemed positions on his local county medical society board and statewide medical association councils. He is passionate about educating undergraduate and graduate medical learners on financial literacy and is dedicated to promoting healthy aging. He also serves on the Texas state board for the National Financial Education Council, where he advocates for improved financial literacy resources and education for healthcare professionals. His professional interests extend to promoting healthy aging for all adults, particularly older adults, through his personal blog.
Dr. Garfield earned his medical degree from the Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine, followed by a residency at Wake Forest University and a fellowship in geriatric medicine at the University of Colorado.
As of November 2024, Dr. Garfield reported no ongoing external relationships.
Dr. Hoffman is a geriatrician with more than 40 years of experience, currently practicing at HCA Florida Healthcare in Gainesville, Florida, and serving as an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine at the University of Central Florida College of Medicine. She is ABIM Board Certified in Internal Medicine and Geriatric Medicine.
Dr. Hoffman received a medical degree from Albany Medical College and completed residency in internal medicine at the University of Florida.
As of November 2024, Dr. Hoffmanreported no ongoing external relationships.
Dr. Jaqua is an Associate Professor of Family and Geriatric Medicine and the Associate Program Director of the Loma Linda University Family Medicine Residency. She is board certified by the American Board of Family Medicine in Family Medicine and Geriatric Medicine, and holds additional certifications in lifestyle medicine and obesity medicine. She is a certified HIV Specialist by the American Academy of HIV Medicine.
Dr. Jaqua completed her family medicine residency at Loma Linda University and her geriatric medicine fellowship at the University of California, Los Angeles. Dr. Jaqua also completed a Master of Business Administration with a track in strategic leadership and received her Lifestyle Medicine Intensivist certificate.
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As of October 2024, Dr. Jaqua reported no ongoing external relationships.
Dr. Johnston is a Professor of Medicine in the Division of General Medicine, Geriatrics and Palliative Care with the University of Arizona and Banner - University Medical Center Phoenix. She spends the majority of her time with the inpatient palliative care service and also works with the Arizona Center of Aging and the Geriatrics Workforce Enhancement Program. Previously, she was the Director of Palliative Care at PeaceHealth Medical System serving hospitals in Washington, Oregon and Alaska, and also served as Professor at the University of Washington. Most of Dr. Johnston's career was spent at University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) where she served as the Chief for Geriatrics Education and Director of the Geriatric Fellowship Program. She is the author of numerous book chapters and journal articles, and has spoken extensively on geriatrics and palliative care topics. She is the past chair of the former ABIM Geriatrics Exam-Writing Committee.
Dr. Johnston received her education and training from the University of California, Santa Cruz, the University of California, Berkeley, UCSF, the University of California, Davis and Stanford University.
As of October 2024 Dr. Johnston reported no ongoing external relationships.
Dr. Lippard is a geriatrician with Colorado Permanente Medical Group, where she is also the Executive Director of Complex Needs, Community Health and Government Programs. She is the clinical lead for Complex Needs and Elder Care for the Kaiser Permanente Care Management Institute. She spent five years in private practice in southwestern Colorado before joining Kaiser Permanente in 2006. In 2019, she was recognized as a 5280 Magazine “Top Doctor.”
Dr. Lippard received a medical degree from the Medical College of Wisconsin. She completed residency in internal medicine and a fellowship in geriatrics at the University of Colorado. She is ABIM Board Certified in Internal Medicine and Geriatric Medicine.
As of December 2024, Dr. Lippard reported no ongoing external relationships.
Traditional, 10-Year MOC Exam
Dr. Chen is the Chief Medical Officer at Hebrew SeniorLife, a Harvard Medical School-affiliated senior healthcare organization in Boston, where she serves as the Senior Clinical Leader and oversees the organization's Department of Medicine. She is ABIM Board Certified in Internal Medicine, Geriatric Medicine, and Hospice and Palliative Medicine.
Previously, Dr. Chen served as the Chief Medical Officer of the Center for Elders’ Independence, a Program of All-Inclusive Care for Elders (PACE) in Oakland, California. Prior to that, she was a Clinical Professor of Medicine in the Division of Geriatrics at the University of California, San Francisco, where she also served as the Geriatrics and Extended Care Service Line Director for the San Francisco VA Medical Center and Director of the Northern California Geriatric Education Center. She is currently a member of the National Quality Forum Standing Committee on Readmissions and Admissions.
Dr. Chen is a graduate of the California Healthcare Foundation Leadership Program and received her undergraduate and medical degrees from Brown University. She completed her residency training in internal medicine and fellowship training in clinical geriatrics at the University of California, San Francisco.
As of October 2024, Dr. Chen reported no ongoing external relationships.
Dr. Cayea, who is ABIM Board Certified in Internal Medicine and Geriatric Medicine, is an Assistant Professor of Medicine at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and is the Associate Vice Chair for Education for the Department of Medicine and Director of the Daniel and Jeannette Hendin Schapiro Geriatrics Medical Education Center. She is a clinician educator who focuses on medical student education and has interests in teaching and evaluating communication skills. Dr. Cayea serves as the Director of Core Faculty in several courses at the School of Medicine. She participates in training faculty in teaching skills on a local and national level.
Dr. Cayea previously served as a member of the former ABIM Geriatric Medicine Self-Assessment Committee.
After earning her medical degree at the University of Rochester, Dr. Cayea completed internal medicine residency and geriatric medicine fellowship at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.
As of September 2024, Dr. Cayea reported the following external relationships:
Dr. Cayea serves in significant roles with the following organizations, receiving reimbursement or compensation as listed:
- The American Academy on Communication in Healthcare, teaching communication skills courses and leading train-the-trainer courses, receiving reimbursement for travel expenses and honoraria.
American Board of Family Medicine
Dr. Cole is the Director of the Geriatric Residency Program and Assistant Director of the Family Medicine Residency Program at AdventHealth Orlando. She supervises medical students, residents and geriatric fellows in the care of elderly patients in the hospital, outpatient clinics, nursing homes and home visits. She oversees a Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment Clinic within the Center for Aging and Wellness where elder patients and their caregivers meet with an interdisciplinary team to evaluate their medical, functional and psychosocial status.
Dr. Cole is the Orlando campus Clerkship Director for Geriatrics at the Florida State University (FSU) College of Medicine. She is certified by the American Board of Family Medicine in Family Medicine and Geriatric Medicine, and is a Certified Medical Director. Dr. Cole is a member of the American Academy of Family Physicians, the American Geriatrics Society and the American Medical Directors Association.
Dr. Cole received her medical degree from the University of South Florida in Tampa and completed her residency and fellowship training at Florida Hospital (now AdventHealth).
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As of September 2024, Dr. Cole reported the following external relationships:
Teaching in continuing medical education with funding from the following companies, with compensation for travel expenses and honoraria:
- The American Academy of Family Physicians Foundation, conference speaker.
American Board of Family Medicine
Dr. Michels provides geriatric outpatient care at Olympic Medical Physicians Primary Care Clinic in Sequim, Washington. He previously spent nearly 30 years in family medicine residency education.
Dr. Michels received his medical degree from the University of Pennsylvania’s Perelman School of Medicine. He completed residency training in family medicine at the Madigan Army Medical Center in Tacoma, Washington. He is certified by the American Board of Family Medicine in Family Medicine and Geriatric Medicine. He completed a faculty development fellowship at the Madigan Army Medical Center in 1992, which included a Master of Public Health at the University of Washington School of Public Health.
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As of September 2024, Dr. Michels reported no ongoing external relationships.
Dr. Moshiri is an internist and geriatrician serving as Internal Medicine Section Chief at Eisenhower Health in Rancho Mirage, California. He is Associate Program Director for the Geriatric Medicine Fellowship and teaching faculty for the Internal Medicine Residency Program. He also serves as Medical Director of Desert Mountain Care Center and Associate Clinical Professor at the University of California, Riverside School of Medicine. He is ABIM Board Certified in Internal Medicine and Geriatric Medicine.
A fellow of the American Geriatrics Society, American College of Physicians and the American College of Clinical Wound Specialists, Dr. Moshiri is also certified in medical directorship and hospice and palliative care. He serves on the Board of the American Board of Wound Medicine and Surgery and served until 2025 on the ABIM Geriatric Medicine Item-Writing Task Force. He also serves on the California Association of Long Term Care Medicine Public Policy Committee.
Dr. Moshiri has authored and presented over 50 scientific papers in internal medicine and geriatrics. He advocates for the Quadruple Aim to improve care quality, physician wellness and cost-efficiency—especially for the aging population. He applies the 5M Geriatrics Framework (Mobility, Mentation, Medications, Multi-complexity and What Matters Most) in clinical practice to deliver holistic, patient-centered care.
He is currently leading the development of a dedicated Geriatric Division at Eisenhower Health, including geriatric primary care, memory care, wound care and skilled nursing initiatives to support age-friendly systems of care.
Dr. Moshiri completed medical school at Tehran University of Medical Sciences and an internship at the University of Maryland Medical System’s Prince George's Hospital Center. He completed internal medicine residency and geriatric medicine fellowship at Montefiore Medical Center/Albert Einstein College of Medicine. He later earned an Executive Master of Healthcare Administration at USC Sol Price School of Public Policy, graduating summa cum laude and receiving the Dean's Certificate of Merit.
As of April 2025, Dr. Moshiri reported no ongoing external relationships.
American Board of Family Medicine
Dr. Naumovski is a full-time geriatrician at the Division of Geriatric Medicine, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC), where he sees elderly patients in a full continuum of care in the Senior Care Institute outpatient office, as an attending on the inpatient Geriatric Teaching Service at UPMC Shadyside and when patients transition with their care at couple post-acute and long-term care facilities. He is an Assistant Clinical Professor, teaching students and residents from the UPMC Presbyterian/Shadyside Internal Medicine and Shadyside Family Practice Residency Programs. He participates in precepting internal medicine residents from the geriatric track in their continuum clinic and in educating geriatric medicine fellows.
Dr. Naumovski is certified by the American Board of Family Medicine in Family Medicine and Geriatric Medicine.
Dr. Naumovski received his master’s degree and doctorate in clinical toxicology, and completed internal medicine residency at the Saints Cyril and Methodius University in North Macedonia. He completed family medicine residency and geriatric medicine fellowship at UPMC St. Margaret.
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As of September 2024, Dr. Naumovski reported no ongoing external relationships.