Our Interview With Jennifer M. Yañez Pryor, M.A., M.S., LALFA, Gerontology Graduate Program Director at Virginia Commonwealth University

Jennifer M. Yañez Pryor is the Gerontology Graduate Program Director at Virginia Commonwealth University. For more med school application help, book a free consultation to learn how we can get you accepted.

What makes the gerontology program at Virginia Commonwealth University stand out from the competition?

Our program is known for being highly flexible and learner-centered so that students can curate their learning experience as it will best align with their career goals. The core and foundation of our program is based on an interdisciplinary approach using the bio-psycho-social model. In addition, the VCU Department of Gerontology is committed to educating students, staff, faculty, and others about the pervasive, invisible nature of ageism within our society and within ourselves.

Students learn from the scholarship and applied experience of our faculty about the communication and transmission of ageism in order to apply evidence-based strategies to disrupt the cycle and achieve optimal health and wellness outcomes.

For those pursuing careers in medicine, education in gerontology allows for broadening beyond the scope of biomedical education allowing future practitioners to consider the whole person throughout their lives. For those who are not Virginia residents, our online program offers residency-neutral tuition.

Which qualities can students build during the gerontology program at Virginia Commonwealth University?

Being trained at the VCU Department of Gerontology means that students have the knowledge to challenge the single story of aging as decline and to promote a culture of aging as development. Students also gain practical and essential skills in critical thinking, ethical decision making, person-centeredness, working in interdisciplinary teams, communication, advocacy, among many others.

This foundational training in gerontology pairs nicely with medical training programs to develop well-rounded practitioners who are more in tune with the needs and experiences of their older patients.

Inspira Advantage is proud to share insights from leaders like Jennifer M. Yañez Pryor whose lifelong commitment to aging research and education helps inspire the next generation of physicians to deliver compassionate, thoughtful, and age-inclusive care