New York (April 8, 2026) — Today, the American Geriatrics Society (AGS) announced that G. Michael Harper, MD will be honored with the Dennis W. Jahnigen Memorial Award, recognizing his lasting impact on geriatrics education through leadership, mentorship, and innovative program development. A past President of the American Geriatrics Society, Dr. Harper has dedicated his career to ensuring that all health professionals are competent to care for older adults regardless of specialty or discipline. With this award, AGS honors his deep commitment to geriatrics education and mentorship and recognizes his leadership in developing the programs and professionals who will care for us all as we age.
Dr. Harper, a Professor of Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco, is nationally recognized as a mentor, educator, and leader. At UCSF, he teaches medical students, residents, and geriatrics fellows as well as practicing clinicians, community health workers and family caregivers on a host of topics that are important in preparing the healthcare workforce to care for all of us as we age. Dr. Harper is an advisor in the UCSF Tideswell Emerging Leaders in Aging Program (ELIA) where he mentors a small group of education scholars from across the country in a one-year leadership program designed for geriatrics health professionals in the early stages of their career who are seeking to develop leadership skills.
The AGS will present the award to Dr. Harper, at the AGS 2026 Virtual Annual Scientific Meeting (#AGS26) April 30 th – May 2 nd (pre-conference days: April 27 th – 29th).
“Dr. Harper truly embodies the spirit of Dr. Dennis W. Jahnigen who was an acclaimed teacher and whose clinical skills, and heartfelt, compassionate concern for older adults flourished in the many students who benefited from his teaching and mentorship,” said AGS President Paul Mulhausen, MD, MPH, FACP, AGSF. “Dr. Harper is an amazing colleague who has cultivated a national legacy through years of exceptional teaching, mentorship, and innovative program development. Notably, Dr. Harper organized the first annual Fellowship Directors Conference in 2007. This meeting, which takes place before the AGS Annual Scientific Meeting, consistently draws over 100 fellowship program directors, associate and assistant program directors, and fellowship coordinators for a day devoted to collaboration, networking, and learning. He was also instrumental in developing national standards for geriatrics training and played a key role in bringing geriatrics fellowship programs into the NRMP Fellowship Match. These contributions reflect Dr. Harper’s enduring commitment to advancing geriatrics education, reaching learners nationwide and strengthening care for all of us as we age.”
Dr. Harper has transformed geriatrics education at both the local and national levels as evidenced by the growth and expansion of UCSF’s Geriatrics Fellowship Training Program and the longstanding success of AGS’s Fellowship Directors conference. He has been involved in numerous publications that guide the education and practice of geriatrics health professionals. An inaugural recipient of the Geriatrics Academic Career Award from the Health Services and Resources Administration, and a recipient of numerous teaching awards and honors, including induction in the UCSF Haile T. Debas Academy of Medical Educators, his lasting impact on geriatrics education is perhaps best reflected in the voices of his mentees, who consistently describe him as a thoughtful, humble guide—demonstrating the profound influence a dedicated educator can have across generations of health professionals and patient care.
At AGS, Dr. Harper has been a staunch advocate for integrating geriatrics principles across health professional education with the goal of ensuring that the health care workforce is prepared to care for older adults. An AGS member for 30 years, Dr. Harper has held multiple roles at the Society in addition to serving as President and Chair of the Fellowship Group. These include serving as a member of the Clinical Practice and Models of Care and Education Committees, and, as a Board member, co-chairing the Junior Faculty Task Force which established new ways for AGS to recognize junior faculty for the work that they do. He was Co-Editor of the tenth and eleventh editions of the Geriatrics Review Syllabus ( GRS10 and GRS11 ) and the GRS Audio Companion. Currently, he co-chairs the Geriatrics-for-Specialists Initiative Council and serves as the lead editor for the recently released AGS "Alzheimer’s Disease: New Diagnostic Technologies and Treatments" online curriculum.
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About the American Geriatrics Society
Founded in 1942, the American Geriatrics Society (AGS) is a nationwide, not-for-profit society of geriatrics healthcare professionals dedicated to improving the health, independence, and quality of life of older people. Our 6,000+ members include geriatricians, geriatrics nurse practitioners, social workers, family practitioners, physician associates, pharmacists, and internists who are pioneers in serious illness care for older individuals, with a focus on championing interprofessional teams, eliciting personal care goals, and treating older people as whole persons. AGS is an anti-discriminatory organization. We believe in a society where we all are supported by and able to contribute to communities where ageism, ableism, classism, homophobia, racism, sexism, xenophobia, and other forms of bias and discrimination no longer impact healthcare access, quality, and outcomes for older adults and their caregivers. AGS advocates for policies and programs that support the health, independence, and quality of life of all of us as we age.
About the Dennis W. Jahnigen Award
The late Dennis W. Jahnigen, MD, was a compassionate geriatrician and acclaimed educator who dedicated his life to training future leaders. Today, his namesake award recognizes an AGS member committed to working with students and advancing geriatrics education in schools of health and medicine.
About the AGS Annual Scientific Meeting
The AGS Annual Scientific Meeting is the premier educational event in geriatrics, providing the latest information on clinical care, research on aging, and innovative models of care delivery. More than 2,600 nurses, pharmacists, physicians, physician assistants, social workers, long-term care and managed care providers, healthcare administrators, and others will convene virtually April 30 – May 2, 2026 (pre-conference days: April 27-29) to advance geriatrics knowledge and skills through state-of-the-art educational sessions and research presentations. For more information, visit https://meeting.americangeriatrics.org/ .