“It is a complex mix of emotions,” explained Fried. “I am really excited about the opportunity to do this. It is coming at a good time and I am ready. I also feel the responsibility of inheriting a section that has been extraordinarily well run over the time that I have been at Yale by Mary [Tinetti] and Leo [Cooney Jr.] and so I feel that I have big footsteps to fill and a big responsibility.”
Fried earned her medical degree from Harvard Medical School in 1988. She completed her internship and residency at Rhode Island Hospital before returning to Harvard for her fellowships in geriatrics and ethics. After completing two years as faculty at Brown University School of Medicine from 1993 to 1995, she was recruited to Yale School of Medicine (YSM) in 1995. Fried became an attending physician at the VA Connecticut Healthcare System (VACHS) in 1995 where she has remained to present day. She has taken on numerous leadership roles within the Yale Pepper Older Americans Independence Center (OAIC), from being leader of numerous Cores, to serving as co-leader since 2010. Additionally, in 2012, Fried became medical director of the Geriatrics Consult Service at VACHS.
As she takes over the leadership of the section from Mary Tinetti, MD, Gladys Phillips Crofoot Professor of Medicine (Geriatrics) and Public Health, who elected to step down to focus on her research, Fried plans to continue the section’s excellence within its mission.
“One of the things that I love about this section is that it really lives out the triple mission of clinical work, education and research,” said Fried. “We really want to continue excellence in all of those three areas, but specifically, continue to examine how best to employ what will be a small workforce for the foreseeable future to care for vulnerable older persons, including potentially expanded our role in providing care in home and residential living settings, and to develop the future leaders in the field.”
Much of Fried’s research focuses on improving treatment decision-making for older persons, along with shared decision making to provide the patients with the appropriate care for their preferences. Fried has also focused on end-of-life planning. Fried looks forward to supporting the growth of research on complex decision making and to promoting and supporting collaborations across YSM in geroscience and biology of aging research.
Department Chair, Department Chair Gary V. Desir, MD, Paul B. Beeson Professor of Medicine and Vice Provost for Faculty Development and Diversity. “Terri is the ideal person to step into the section chief role in Geriatrics. Her expertise and experience in the growing area of geroscience will propel the section forward into an expanded research focus and continued excellence,” Desir said.
Fried has been recognized by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs with the VISN 1 Geriatric and Extended Care Service Line Award “in recognition of expertise and service in the category of ‘Significant Contribution in Geriatric and Extended Care Initiatives which Promote a Culture of Improvement,” in 2016; by the American Geriatrics Society with the Outstanding Excellence in Geriatric Research in 2005 and the 2004 Outstanding Scientific Achievement for Clinical Investigation Award, and numerous visiting professorships across the U.S. Along with her numerous personal honors, Fried is a dedicated educator who has mentored junior faculty to 24 various honors through the American Geriatrics Society and other organizations.
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