Thank you to our 2025 GMSS attendees, speakers and Planning Committee members!
Learn more about the 2025 symposium in our News Room.

About the Symposium

Medication-related morbidity and mortality are a significant health concern in older adults, who are highly susceptible to medication-related problems. Safe medication use practices require coordinated efforts by providers and patients in the medication use process. Medication-related problems range from prescribing of high-risk medications to misuse of medications by older adults.

The Geriatric Medication Safety Symposium builds upon a successful collaboration between the University of Houston College of Pharmacy Department of Pharmaceutical Health Outcomes and Policy (PHOP) and the UTHealth McGovern Medical School in establishing and hosting the Houston Medication Safety Symposium in 2017, 2018 and 2019.

The areas of focus for the Geriatric Medication Safety Symposium include:

• Medication safety in long-term care
• Off-label drug use during the pandemic
• Drug burden/safer opioid use
• Adverse drug events/significant drug interactions
• Drug safety during transitions of care
• Medication safety in inpatient care

Support

The Geriatric Medication Safety Symposium is supported by the National Institute on Aging of the National Institutes of Health under award number 1R13AG071364.

Who Should Attend

The target audience includes physicians, nurses, pharmacists, students, residents, researchers and others in health care and elder care.

Thank you to our 2025 GMSS symposium speakers

• Mary K. Brennan-Taylor, Adjunct Research Instructor of Family Medicine, University at Buffalo School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences; Charter Member, Patient Safety Action Network; and Co-founder, Team Alice
• Ariel Green, M.D., MPH, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
• Myla A. Magno, DNP, APRN, GNP-BC, PMHNP-BC, GS-C, Medical Consultant Provider, Community Care Nursing Home Program/State Veterans Home Program, Social Work Services Department, Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Affairs Medical Center
• Joshua Niznik, Pharm.D., Ph.D., Assistant Professor, UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy/UNC School of Medicine
• Carolyn Pickering, Ph.D., R.N., Professor and Isla Carroll Turner Chair in Gerontological Nursing, UTHealth Cizik School of Nursing
• Bianca Romero Widmer, Pharm.D., BCGP, BCPS, Senior Manager, Clinical Pharmacy, Suvida Healthcare
• Robert G. Wahler, Pharm.D., BCGP, FASCP, CPE, Clinical Associate Professor, University at Buffalo School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences; Director of Clinical Pharmacy Services, Niagara Hospice; and Research Associate Professor, University at Buffalo Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences

Contacts

Rajender R. Aparasu, Ph.D., FAPhA (PI)
Mustafa & Sanober Lokhandwala Endowed Professor and Chair,
Department of Pharmaceutical Health Outcomes and Policy,
University of Houston College of Pharmacy

Holly M. Holmes, M.D., M.S., AGSF (Co-PI)
Professor and Director,
Joan and Stanford Alexander Division of Geriatric and Palliative Medicine,
McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston
Vice President, Community Engagement, UTHealth Houston

Thank you to our 2025 Planning Committee

The organizers extend their appreciation for the work by the 2025 GMSS Planning Committee members:

Jacques Baillargeon, Ph.D.
Professor of Epidemiology and Vice Chair for Education, Department of Preventive Medicine and Population Health, The University of Texas Medical Branch

Logan Campbell, RN, GERO-BC
Health Services Director Central, Amazing Place

Vaunette P. Fay, Ph.D., RNC, FNP, GNP
Director, Continuing Education, and Professor of Nursing – Clinical, Cizik School of Nursing at UTHealth Houston

LaDawna Goering, DNP, APRN, ANP-BC, BC-ADM
Assistant Professor of Clinical Nursing and Adult/Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner Track Coordinator, Department of Graduate Studies, UTHealth Cizik School of Nursing

Paula D. Johnson, MPH, PMP
Bureau Chief, Harris County Area Agency on Aging

Jack Joseph, D.D.S.
Clinical Associate Professor, UTHealth School of Dentistry

Amy Kelleh, Pharm.D., BCGP, CDCES
Clinical Pharmacist, HarmonyCares

Min Ji Kwak, M.D., M.S., DrPH
Assistant Professor, Joan and Stanford Alexander Division of Geriatric and Palliative Medicine, McGovern Medical School, UTHealth Houston

Allison Ownby, Ph.D.
Assistant Dean for Faculty and Educational Development, McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston

Tyler J. Varisco, Pharm.D., Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmaceutical Health Outcomes and Policy, and Assistant Director, The PREMIER Center, University of Houston College of Pharmacy