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Mitchell Tod Heflin

Professor of Medicine
Medicine, Geriatrics and Palliative Care
Duke Box 3322, Durham, NC 27710
4242 Ipe Building, 311 Trent Dr, Durham, NC 27710

Overview


I am currently a Professor with Tenure in the Department of Medicine, a Senior Fellow in the Duke Center for the Study of Aging and Human Development, and Associate Dean for Interprofessional Education and Care (IPEC).  My career as a leader in Geriatrics has focused on development, deployment and evaluation of education programs aimed at health professions learners from a variety of disciplines and introduction of innovative models of care with a specific emphasis on community-based and perioperative care of frail older adults.   I served as Geriatrics Fellowship Program Director for 11 years and, over the same span, directed HRSA funded Geriatrics Education Programs at Duke, including our Geriatric Workforce Enhancement Program (GWEP) In that role, I worked with colleagues and community partners to provide IP educational programs in geriatrics and care redesign in primary care practices to improve care for older adults.  Concurrently, I also led the implementation of the Duke Perioperative Optimization of Senior Health (POSH) program and co-directed the VA OAA funded Specialty Care Education Center of Excellence for the VA POSH Program.  In my current role as Associate Dean and Director of the IPEC Center, I am working with educators and clinicians from across the Health System in the design and implementation of educational program aimed at improving our ability to use interprofessional collaborative practice to deliver safe, effective, person-centered care.

Current Appointments & Affiliations


Professor of Medicine · 2019 - Present Medicine, Geriatrics and Palliative Care, Medicine
Professor in the School of Nursing · 2019 - Present School of Nursing
Senior Fellow in the Center for the Study of Aging and Human Development · 2000 - Present Center for the Study of Aging and Human Development, Institutes and Centers

In the News


Published July 19, 2018
Geriatric Workforce Enhancement Program Addresses Needs in Local Community

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Recent Publications


Increasing interprofessional education experiences and collaboration: Outcomes of a virtually-based continuing education program

Journal Article Journal of Interprofessional Education and Practice · December 1, 2024 Purpose: An academic medical center implemented a yearlong virtual continuing education program to prepare health professions educators to develop, deploy and evaluate new interprofessional educational experiences for providers and learners. Materials and ... Full text Cite

Building an Interprofessional Health Workforce through Pathways, Training, and Retention.

Journal Article N C Med J · May 2024 Population growth in North Carolina is contributing to health care workforce shortages, particularly in rural and underserved areas. Professions affected most include pub-lic health, nursing, behavioral health, and direct care. We describe efforts to grow ... Full text Link to item Cite

Stress First Aid for Health-care Workers: An Indicated Mental Illness Prevention Program for Nursing Education.

Journal Article Nurs Clin North Am · March 2024 Spurred by a global pandemic, the incidence and prevalence of stress-related injury and illness continues to increase amid an overburdened nursing workforce that has remarkably and reliably performed on the frontlines of health care. Indicated mental illne ... Full text Link to item Cite
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Recent Grants


Duke Well-being Essentials Program for the Current and Future Health Workforce

Inst. Training Prgm or CMEFocus Lead · Awarded by Health Resources and Service Administration · 2022 - 2025

Duke Family Medicine Rural Residency Track - Planning and Development

Inst. Training Prgm or CMECo Investigator · Awarded by Health Resources and Service Administration · 2020 - 2023

2020 Accelerating Change in Medical Education Innovation Grant Program

Inst. Training Prgm or CMEPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by American Medical Association Foundation · 2020 - 2022

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Education, Training & Certifications


University of Virginia · 1993 M.D.