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Headshot of Marilyn Gugliucci

Marilyn R. Gugliucci, M.A., Ph.D., AGHEF, GSAF, AGSF, NAOMEF

Professor

Director, Geriatrics Education and Research

Director, U-ExCEL Older Adult Fitness/Wellness Program

Location

Stella Maris Hall, Room 317
Biddeford Campus
Eligible for Student Opportunities

Dr. Marilyn R. Gugliucci is a Professor and the Director for Geriatrics Education and Research, as well as the Director of U-ExCEL (SWAGÊÓƵ~Exercise and Conditioning for Easier Living) Fitness/Wellness Program for older adults. Her faculty appointment is within the SWAGÊÓƵ College of Osteopathic Medicine (SWAGÊÓƵ COM) Division of Geriatrics. Her unique "Learning by Living" research projects, advances medical and health professions students' learning through the application of ethnographic/ autobiographic immersion research methods.  Learning by Living: Nursing Home Immersion involves "admitting" medical students into nursing homes to live the life of an older resident for 10-14 days complete with a diagnosis and standard procedures of care.  The Learning by Living: 48 Hour Hospice Home Immersion research project immerses pairs of students into an 18-bed acute care in-patient hospice home (referred to as the ICU of hospice care) to work with an interprofessional staff team to provide patient care, family support, and post mortem care. Both projects have been recognized with national medical education awards. She also conducts research on older adult falls prevention and the use of Virtual Reality as a learning modality. 

Her research mentorship with students is broad and diverse; focused on clinical and person-centered approaches in geriatrics, LGBTQI+ issues, Substance Use Disorders, etc . Projects are either directly mentored by Dr. G or she connects students with mentors at other higher education institutions, hospitals, or labs.

Dr. Gugliucci is a Fellow of the National Association of Osteopathic Medical Educators (NAOME), the American Geriatrics Society (AGS), the Gerontological Society of America (GSA), the Academy for Gerontology in Higher Education (AGHE), and the Maine Gerontological Society (MGS). 

Her expertise and passion in the field of aging has resulted in numerous presentations nationally and internationally. Her international presentations were conducted in England (2022 & 2003), Greece (2020), Ireland (2018), San Francisco (IAGG 2017), Germany (2016), Norway (2015), Ireland (2015 & 2012), Italy, (2013), and Austria (2004). 

She was elected to serve as The Gerontological Society of America (GSA) vice-president in 2024, president in 2025, and board of directors’ chair in 2026. The GSA is the oldest international society dedicated to cultivating excellence in interdisciplinary aging research and education to advance innovations in practice and policy. Her former work with GSA includes:  serving on the inaugural board of directors (2019-2020), GSA Council member for 8 years, Chair of the GSA Health Sciences Section (1750 members, 2012-2013) and a number of GSA committees. Dr. Gugliucci served on the Association for Gerontology in Higher Education (AGHE) board for 11 years and was elected AGHE president serving from 2008-2010. In this role she led the organization to create and endorse reframed/positive language and definitions for geriatrics and gerontology. 

She is a reviewer for BioMed Central- Geriatrics Journal, The Gerontologist,  International Journal of Clinical Medicine, Journal of Hospital Medicine, Journal of Veteran Studies, among others. She serves on the Review Boards for the Aging International Journal and Gerontology and Geriatrics Education journal. Although not a nurse, she was a mentor in two cohorts for the Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nurses/Hartford Foundation Geriatric Nursing Leadership Academy. In Maine, she has and continues to serve on a number of boards related to aging and health. She is currently serving on the Board of Directors for the Maine Council on Aging (founding board member and former executive officer), Piper Shores Life Care Retirement Community, Hospice of Southern Maine Ethics Board, and Heart to Heart Age Friendly Community in Maine.  She was a founding board member of SAGE (Services and Advocacy for GLBT Elders) Maine, an executive officer and board member of the Maine Dirigo Geriatrics Society (Maine Chapter of the American Geriatrics Society), and the Maine Gerontological Society (president, 2010-2012, founding board member).

In March 2018, the Association for Gerontology/Geriatrics in Higher Education (AGHE) bestowed their highest honor, the Clark Tibbitts Award, to Dr. Gugliucci in recognition of her outstanding contributions to the advancement of gerontology and geriatrics as a field of study in institutions of higher education. Additionally, in 2018, she was awarded the Pope Leadership Award by the Hospice of Southern Maine to recognize visionary leadership, a passion for the hospice mission, active involvement in all stages of hospice development, and the willingness to forge together partnerships for the betterment of the community. Other awards include the Society of Osteopathic Medical Educators (SOME) Innovation in the Development of Enduring Medical Education Award (2017) by the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine for the 48 Hour Hospice Home Immersion Life Altering Medical Education & Research Project. In 2014 she was inducted into the Gold Humanism Honor Society recognizing her as an exemplar of humanistic person care and as a role model, mentor, and leader in medicine.  In 2013, Dr. Gugliucci was awarded the Marguerite Elliott Innovations in Clinical Medical Education Award from the Society of Osteopathic Medical Educators for the Learning by Living Nursing Home Immersion project. Other recognitions include the 2012 Association for Gerontology in Higher Education Hiram Friedsam Mentorship Award for her excellence in mentoring students, faculty, and administrators in the field of aging; and the 2012 Harvard Pilgrim Health Care and MaineToday Media, Inc. Healthcare Hero Award for her excellence, dedication, innovation, compassion and exemplary achievements as a Health Care Educator in Maine.

Credentials

Education

M.A.
Montclair State University
1981
Ph.D.
Lesley University
1999

Post-Doctoral Training

Post-Doctoral Training, Boston University Gerontology/Geriatrics
Boston University (Boston , Massachusetts)

Research

Current research

48-Hour Hospice Home Immersion (12-18 weekends per year)

Selected publications

Villmore, D, Dyer, E, & Gugliucci, M (2024) Teaching Empathy: Comparison of a Virtual Reality Experience Using Head-Mounted Display Versus Group Streaming.  Gerontology and Geriatrics Education Journal, 

Gugliucci, M (2022) Foreword in Textbook: The Gerontology Field Placement: Internships and Practicums in Aging by Karasik, RJ, Donorfio, LK, & Greenberg, PA, Springer Publishing;New York, New York. ISBN: 978-0826150455 

Dimick, S, Stefanacci, R, & Gugliucci, M.R. (2022). Addressing Social Determinants of Health (SDoH) in Primary Care: A Pilot Study. Open Journal of Social Sciences, Vol. 10, No. 4. 

Gugliucci, MR & Shovali, TE. Co-Editors-in-Chief. (2021- Accepted) Gerontology and Geriatrics Curricular Standards and Guidelines in Higher Education, 7th Edition. Academy for Gerontology in Higher Education, Gerontological Society of America, Washington, DC.

  • Shovali, T & Gugliucci, M. Chapter 1: Introduction: Embracing Competency-Based Education in the Field of Aging
  • Gugliucci, M & Shovali, T. Chapter 2: Chapter Anatomy for Gerontology and Health Professions
  • Gugliucci, M & Graham R. Chapter 9: Doctoral Degree Programs in Gerontology and Aging Studies
  • Gugliucci, M, Giovanis, A & Bates, B.  Chapter 10: Geriatrics Curricula for Undergraduate Medical Education in Osteopathic Medicine
  • Gugliucci, M & Brewer, C. Chapter 11: Foundational Gerontology/Geriatrics Curricula Guidelines for Health Related Programs
  • Springer, S,  Slatum, P & Gugliucci, M. Chapter 12: Foundational Gerontology/Geriatrics Curricula Guidelines for Doctor in Pharmacy Degree Programs

Gugliucci, M. R., Weaver, S. A., & Lin, A (2021) Vet to Vet Maine: A Pilot Study Measuring Effectiveness of a Veteran Companion Program in Reducing Social Isolation and Loneliness. Journal of Veterans Studies, 7(1): X, pp. 1–15. https://doi.org/10.21061/jvsv7i1.198

Gugliucci, M, Weaver, S, & and Lin, A. (2020) Vet to vet Maine companion program study: COVID-19 effect on increasing social isolation and loneliness (Abstract). European Geriatrics Medicine 11 (Suppl 1):S106 

Gugliucci, M & Silverstein, N. (2020) Advancing Age Inclusivity on College Campuses Toolkit. Academy for Gerontology in Higher Education. Gerontological Society of America, Washington, DC. 

Padmanabhan, DL, Ayyaswami, V, Prabhu, AV., Sinclair, C, & Gugliucci, MR. (2020) The #PalliativeCare Conversation: An Analysis of Trends, Content and Caregiver Perspectives, Journal of Pain and Symptom Management. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2020.08.023

Gugliucci, M, Padmanabhan, D, & Silberstein, E (August 2020) 48 Hour Hospice Home Immersion Encourages Medical Students to Broaden Their Views on Dying and Death, Journal of the American Osteopathic Association. Vol. 120, 516-523. doi:

Robertson, E. & Gugliucci, M (2021) Physical Activity in Rural Communities Chapter in: Handbook of Rural Aging, Editor-in-Chief: Kaye, L. Routledge:NY, NY; Taylor & Francis Group.

Gugliucci, MR & Weaver, SA (2020) Array of opportunities in health professions education programs to advance older adult health care, Gerontology & Geriatrics Education, 41:1, 1-3, DOI: 

Pierce, DM, Gugliucci, MR and Weaver, SA (2019) Functional Contentment Model: Optimizing Quality of Life for Nursing Home Residents with Dementia. International Journal of Clinical Medicine, 10, 439-451. https://doi.org/10.4236/ijcm.2019.109037

Gugliucci, M, & O’Neill, D (2019) Health professions education: advancing geriatrics and gerontology competencies through Age- Friendly University (AFU) Principles, Gerontology & Geriatrics Education, DOI: 

Brown, W, Marcello, M, and Gugliucci, M, Patient-Centered Care: Medical Students Engagement Through Immersion Learning. Journal of Geriatrics and Palliative Care, Accepted, Publication TBD,  December 2017.

Drozda, D & Gugliucci, M. (2017) Medical Education Immersion Learning: Student Lives the Life of an Elder Nursing Home Resident. Case Report, J Aging Geriatr Med, Vol: 1 Issue: 2.

Kodela, J, Gugliucci, M, and Farrell, C (2016) End of Life Care Medical Education: 48 Hour Hospice Home Immersion Alters Students’ Lives. International Journal of Clinical Medicine, 7, 381-388.
http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/ijcm.2016.76041

Tobarran N, Byrne T, Gugliucci MR (2016) Accelerated Medical Education: Impact of a 48 Hour Hospice Home Immersion. J Gerontol Geriatr Res 5: 299. doi:10.4172/2167-7182.1000299

Hondros-McCarthy, I., Barber, P. and Gugliucci, M.R. (2016) Learning by Living: Empathy Learned
through an Extended Medical Education Immersion Project. International Journal of Clinical Medicine, 7, 236-244.http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/ijcm.2016.73025

Hecker, J. E. & Gugliucci, M (2015) A Call to Action: Maine’s Colleges and Universities Respond to an Aging Population. Maine Policy Review 24.2: 36 -41, http://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/mpr/vol24/iss2/8

Gugliucci, M, Malhotra, H, & Gaul, A, (March 2015) Hospice Home Immersion Project: Advancing Medical Education. International Journal of Clinical Medicine; Special Issue: Hospice and Palliative Care, Vol.6 No.3, 158-169. doi: 10.4236/ijcm.2015.63021

Gugliucci, M (2015) Learning by Living: Life Altering Medical Education Immersion Research, (Abstract) European Geriatric Medicine Journal, Volume 6, Supplement 1, S 14, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S1878-7649(15)30045-0

Gugliucci, M (2015) Hospice Home Immersion Project: Advancing Medical Education (Abstract) Volume 6, Supplement 1, Pages S80–S81. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S1878-7649(15)30283-7

Gugliucci, M (2014) Nursing Home Living: The Complexities and Potential The Gerontologist, Vol. 54, No. 4, 718–731, doi:10.1093/geront/gnu065

Carbone, M. & Gugliucci, M. (2014) Delirium and the Family Caregiver: The Need for Evidence Based Education Interventions; The Gerontologist, Vol. 00, No. 00, 1–8, doi:10.1093/geront/gnu035, Forum; Special Issue: Successful Aging

Other scholarly activity

Geriatrics/Gerontology Curriculum Development and Competencies.

Chair, Association for Gerontology/Geriatrics in Higher Education Program of Merit; Academic Curricula Review.

Founding member, Accreditation for Gerontology Education Council (AGEC) ~ the first accreditation organization for associate, baccalaureate, and master's degree gerontology programs in higher education.

Funded grants

Geriatrics Workforce Enhancement Program, HRSA Grant.  Partnership with SWAGÊÓƵ COM, Maine Medical Center, Northern Lights Medical Center and UMaine Center on Aging. Gugliucci, M: Director, for Geriatrics Education Mentors [GEM] Project for OMS I and OMS II medical student education. PI; S. Wehry, 2019-2023

BEAM – Bereavement Education Action Management -Maine Health Care Association Advisory Leadership. Goal to create competencies and approaches for training on how to hand dying and death in LTC environments. Civil Money Penalty Funding, 2019-2022

National Network of Libraries of Medicine New England Region (NN/LM NER) Technology Grant: Empathy Learned Through an Extended Medical Education Virtual Reality Project. Validating a Pre/Post Empathy assessment for Virtual Reality, 2019-2020

Invited plenary presentation

18th European Union Geriatrics Medicine Society Congresse (London, England), September 27-30, 2022

  1. Symposium: Teaching Nursing Home Medicine to Medical Students, An Urgent Priority After Covid 19 (Oral). Chair: Adams G w/ Saunder R (Australia) & Rikkert O (Netherlands)Learning by Living: Life Altering Medical Education Experiences (Gugliucci M, USA)
  2. End of Life Virtual Reality Training: Medical Student Increased Empathic Ability (Oral). Gugliucci M, Minukhin D, Dyer E, Swartzlander B
  3. Significance of 2nd Year Medical Students Participating in the 48 Hour Hospice Home Immersion Project, 2017-2018 (Poster). Gugliucci M, Hanlon S, Packard B

Age Friendly Global Network Annual Conference, Dublin, Ireland (Virtual) The Value of Professional Organizations for Advancing Industry-Focused Age-Friendly University (AFU) Efforts (Oral) Montepare, M., Andreoletti, A, Bergman, E, Gugliucci, MR, Howe, JL, Morrow-Howell, N, Porter, M, Schumacher, J & Silverstein, M, November 1, 2021   

AGING 2.0 Global Chapters Network, (Virtual: Virtual Reality: Technology to Support Health Professions Learning & Empathy, Gugliucci, MR, September 29, 2021

Gerontological Society of America, Emerging Scholars and Professionals Organization,Title: Mentorship: Developing Reciprocal and Productive Relationships. International Webinar (Virtual): Panel Member Gugliucci, M. w/ Dr. Kalisha Bonds, Dr. Roland Thorpe, & Dr. Darina Petrovsky, March 29, 2021

European Union Geriatrics Medicine Society Congresse (Virtual Format), October 7-9, 2020

  1. Vet To Vet Maine Companion Program Study: COVID-19 Effect on Increasing Social Isolation and Loneliness (Poster) Gugliucci, MR, Weaver, SA, Lin, A (Medical Student)
  2. 48 Hour Acute Care Hospice Home Immersion: Second Year Medical Students Qualitative Experiences, 2017-18 (Poster) Gugliucci, MR & Timimie, E (Medical Student)

Age Friendly University Global Network Conference, Dublin Ireland, March 12-14, 2018

  1. GEM [Geriatrics Education Mentors]: A Community Based Medical Education Model. Gugliucci, M & Thieme, V.S.(Oral)
  2. 48-Hour Hospice Home Immersion Project: Innovative Medical Education Research. Gugliucci, M.(Oral)

Research interests

48 Hour Hospice Home Immersion Research
Learning by Living: Nursing Home Immersion Research (currently on hold due to COVID)
Falls Prevention for older adults including those with vision impairment
Death and Dying
Virtual Reality Learning Modalities
Veteran Studies
LGBTQI+
COM Medical Education
Exercise and Resilience

Research topics

COM Faculty Research
COM Geriatrics
COM Medical Education
Exercise and Resilience
Statistics and Experimental Designs