Pennsylvania GeriatricS Society

Karen Glasser Scandrett MD has been the program director for the geriatric medicine training program at UPMC Presbyterian-Shadyside Hospital since 2015. She received her medical degree from the University of Chicago, completed her primary care internal medicine residency at the Cambridge Hospital, and her geriatrics fellowship at the Harvard Division on Aging. While at Harvard she completed her master’s in public health before taking her first faculty position at Northwestern University Medical School in 2004.  She has been involved in medical education at every step of her professional journey. 

After moving to UPMC in 2012, she piloted the geriatric trauma consultation service at Presbyterian Hospital. This is now a core training site for internal medicine residents, emphasizing 5Ms competencies.   She continued to teach in subacute and long-term care, developing curricula for medical students, residents, and fellows in geriatrics and palliative medicine.  In 2019 she transitioned into her current roles in outpatient primary care and consultation, and hospital teaching at Shadyside Hospital.  Dr. Scandrett emphasizes a biopsychosocial approach in all her teaching, and truly loves connecting with her patients and with her learners.

As fellowship program director, Dr. Scandrett has expanded training opportunities in geriatrics to reach a greater diversity of fellowship candidates.  She has worked closely with IM and GME leadership to move geriatrics further upstream in the residency curriculum and to create multiple training tracks. These include an integrated 4-year IM-Geriatrics training program, an integrated fellowship in palliative medicine and geriatrics, a geriatric-cardiology track, a research track, and a geriatrics-hospitalist track. In addition, she has implemented structures for professional development, including mentorship and wellness activities, to enhance the learning experience for the fellows.  Together with other division faculty, Dr. Scandrett aims to build a program that inspires and develops future leaders in our field.

Dr. Christine O’Neil is a Professor of Pharmacy Practice at Duquesne University with a clinical practice site at St. Barnabas Health System, a continuum of care community. She is a passionate advocate for the integration of geriatrics throughout the pharmacy curriculum and promotes an interprofessional approach to care. Dr. O’Neil serves as the Residency Program Director of PGY1 Pharmacy Residency in a long-term-care facility and is thrilled with the achievements of the residents since 2012. She serves as a preceptor for pharmacy students, coordinates a Concentration in Geriatric Pharmacy, and teaches introductory lectures on geriatrics and advanced topics on Parkinson’s disease, osteoporosis, and palliative care. Dr. O’Neil is an active member and fellow of ASCP and serves as secretary of Pennsylvania chapter. She is the advisor of the student chapter of ASCP at Duquesne, is an active member of MSTOC subcommittee, and is a frequent contributor to The Senior Care Pharmacist. Since graduating from Duquesne with a BS/Doctor of Pharmacy and completing a PGY-1 residency at Mercy Hospital, Dr. O’Neil has focused her efforts on optimizing senior care in a variety of practice settings and is committed to sharing her passion with the next generation of pharmacists and healthcare leaders.

From 1990 through 2002, Dr. O’Neil served as Coordinator of the Medication Management Center at St. Francis Health Care System. Building on this prevention and wellness experience, she was cofounder and director of the Center for Pharmacy Care, a university based-wellness center, from 2002 through 2010.  From 2004 through 2013, she maintained an active consultant practice at St. Clair Senior Care Network. In 2011, she developed her current practice model which involves providing on-site clinical pharmacy services within a senior continuum of care. Dr. O’Neil is the author over 40 publications and the recipient of several teaching, scholarship, and service awards including the Armon Neel Senior Care Pharmacist Award from ASCP in 2019.