Michael Harper, MD

Professor of Clinical Medicine

Dr. Harper is a clinician-educator and a sustaining member of the UCSF Haile T. Debas Academy of Medical Educators. He is the current Chair of the Board of Directors of the American Geriatrics Society and a member of the Executive Committee.

Throughout his career, Dr. Harper has worked in various settings across the geriatrics continuum of care including ambulatory and home-based primary care, long-term care, PACE, and acute and post-acute care. His current clinical activities occur at both the SFVAMC and UCSF. At the SFVAMC he attends on the Mobile Acute Care for Elders (ACE) Service and supervises fellows in the Community Living Center and geriatrics clinic. Through the UCSF Care at Home Program, Dr. Harper provides primary care for homebound older adults in San Francisco. He is also the Medical Director of The Sequoias San Francisco, a Continuing Care Retirement Community.

Education
2017 - Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Champion Training, University of California
Geriatrics Fellowship, 1997 - Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University
Internal Medicine Residency, 1994 - Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center
M.D., 1991 - School of Medicine, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson
Honors and Awards
  • President, American Geriatrics Society, 2022-2023
  • Alumni Hall of Fame, Bordentown Regional High School, 2022
  • Selected by the Class of 2019 to lead the UCSF Physicians Declaration at Commencement, UCSF School of Medicine, 2019
  • Haile T. Debas Academy of Medical Educators Cooke Award for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, UCSF School of Medicine, 2017
  • Fellow, American College of Physicians, 2013
  • Fellow, American Geriatrics Society, 2013
  • Member, Haile T. Debas Academy of Medical Educators, UCSF School of Medicine, 2007
  • Teacher of the Year, Division of Geriatrics, UCSF School of Medicine, 2006
  • Haile T. Debas Academy of Medical Educators Excellence in Direct Teaching Award, UCSF School of Medicine, 2005
  • Geriatric Academic Career Award, Health Resources and Services Administration, 1999-2004
  • Howard K. Rathbun Award for Clinical Excellence during internship, Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, 1992
Websites
Publications

  1. Harper GM. Three Decades of Progress Since the Systolic Hypertension in the Elderly Program. Clinics in geriatric medicine 2024. PMID: 39349040


  2. Harper GM. Healing the Miseducation About Pressure Injuries and Chronic Wounds. Clinics in geriatric medicine 2024. PMID: 38960541


  3. Harper GM. Individualizing Care for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, and Asexual+ Older Adults. Clinics in geriatric medicine 2024. PMID: 38521606


  4. Harper GM. Can You Please Take a Look at This Rash with Me? Clinics in geriatric medicine 2023. PMID: 38000865


  5. Harper GM. Dr Nascher Would Be Pleased. Clinics in geriatric medicine 2023. PMID: 37798073


  6. Harper GM, Lyons W, Potter JF. Harper GM, Lyons W, Potter JF (eds). Geriatrics Review Syllabus: A Core Curriculum in Geriatric Medicine. 11th ed. New York: American Geriatrics Society; 2022. PMID:


  7. Andrew G. Lee, Jane F. Potter, G. Michael Harper. Lee AG, Potter JF, Harper GM (eds). Geriatrics for Specialists. 2nd ed. Cham, Switzerland: Springer; 2021. PMID:


  8. Byerly LK, Harper GM. Is it time for comprehensive geriatric assessment to move beyond primary care? The case for targeting medical sub-specialty practice. Israel journal of health policy research 2017. PMID: 28593039


  9. Lo D, Zhang N, Eubank K, Harper GM, Yukawa M, O'Brien B. Changing Spaces and Learning Environments to Improve Inpatient Interprofessional Education for Internal Medicine Residents. Volume 9 of Issue 3. Journal of graduate medical education 2017. PMID: 28638524


  10. Gillespie SM, Brandt LE, Chang A, Chao SH, Corcoran AM, Miller R, Harper GM, Levine SA, Medina-Walpole A. Staying in the game: the 10-step approach to sustaining geriatrics education in hospitalists and subspecialty providers. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society 2014. PMID: 25040491


  11. Leipzig RM, Sauvigné K, Granville LJ, Harper GM, Kirk LM, Levine SA, Mosqueda L, Parks SM, Fernandez HM, Busby-Whitehead J. What is a geriatrician? American Geriatrics Society and Association of Directors of Geriatric Academic Programs end-of-training entrustable professional activities for geriatric medicine. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society 2014. PMID: 24749846


  12. Parks SM, Harper GM, Fernandez H, Sauvigne K, Leipzig RM. American Geriatrics Society/Association of Directors of Geriatric Academic Programs curricular milestones for graduating geriatric fellows. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society 2014. PMID: 24749808


  13. Berger TG, Shive M, Harper GM. Pruritus in the older patient: a clinical review. JAMA 2013. PMID: 24327039


  14. Higashi RT, Tillack A, Steinman MA, Johnston CB, Harper GM. The 'worthy' patient: rethinking the 'hidden curriculum' in medical education. Anthropology & medicine 2013. PMID: 23581400


  15. Rivera JA, O'Hare AM, Harper GM. Update on the management of chronic kidney disease. American family physician 2012. PMID: 23062158


  16. Mazotti L, Moylan A, Murphy E, Harper GM, Johnston CB, Hauer KE. Advancing geriatrics education: an efficient faculty development program for academic hospitalists increases geriatric teaching. Journal of hospital medicine 2010. PMID: 20717891


  17. Lyss-Lerman P, Teherani A, Aagaard E, Loeser H, Cooke M, Harper GM. What training is needed in the fourth year of medical school? Views of residency program directors. Academic medicine : journal of the Association of American Medical Colleges 2009. PMID: 19550170


  18. Steinman MA, Harper GM, Chren MM, Landefeld CS, Bero LA. Characteristics and impact of drug detailing for gabapentin. PLoS medicine 2007. PMID: 17455990


  19. Samus QM, Rosenblatt A, Onyike C, Steele C, Baker A, Harper M, Brandt J, Mayer L, Rabins PV, Lyketsos CG. Correlates of caregiver-rated quality of life in assisted living: the Maryland Assisted Living study. The journals of gerontology. Series B, Psychological sciences and social sciences 2006. PMID: 16960235


  20. Leff B, Harper GM. The reading habits of medicine clerks at one medical school: frequency, usefulness, and difficulties. Academic medicine : journal of the Association of American Medical Colleges 2006. PMID: 16639211


  21. Rao V, Spiro JR, Samus QM, Rosenblatt A, Steele C, Baker A, Harper M, Brandt J, Mayer L, Rabins PV, Lyketsos CG. Sleep disturbances in the elderly residing in assisted living: findings from the Maryland Assisted Living Study. International journal of geriatric psychiatry 2005. PMID: 16163747


  22. Samus QM, Rosenblatt A, Steele C, Baker A, Harper M, Brandt J, Mayer L, Rabins PV, Lyketsos CG. The association of neuropsychiatric symptoms and environment with quality of life in assisted living residents with dementia. The Gerontologist 2005. PMID: 16230746


  23. Knight AM, Kravet SJ, Harper GM, Leff B. The effect of computerized provider order entry on medical student clerkship experiences. Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association : JAMIA 2005. PMID: 15905479


  24. Burdick DJ, Rosenblatt A, Samus QM, Steele C, Baker A, Harper M, Mayer L, Brandt J, Rabins P, Lyketsos CG. Predictors of functional impairment in residents of assisted-living facilities: the Maryland Assisted Living study. The journals of gerontology. Series A, Biological sciences and medical sciences 2005. PMID: 15814872


  25. Rosenblatt A, Samus QM, Steele CD, Baker AS, Harper MG, Brandt J, Rabins PV, Lyketsos CG. The Maryland Assisted Living Study: prevalence, recognition, and treatment of dementia and other psychiatric disorders in the assisted living population of central Maryland. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society 2004. PMID: 15450036


  26. Harper GM, Leff B, Thomas P, Burton J. Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Academic medicine : journal of the Association of American Medical Colleges 2004. PMID: 15240220


  27. Finucane TE, Harper GM. Attempting resuscitation in nursing homes: policy considerations. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society 1999. PMID: 10522963


  28. De Jonge KE, Sulmasy DP, Gold KG, Epstein A, Harper MG, Eisenberg JM, Schulman KA. The timing of do-not-resuscitate orders and hospital costs. Journal of general internal medicine 1999. PMID: 10203626


  29. Walder K, Norman RA, Hanson RL, Schrauwen P, Neverova M, Jenkinson CP, Easlick J, Warden CH, Pecqueur C, Raimbault S, Ricquier D, Silver MH, Shuldiner AR, Solanes G, Lowell BB, Chung WK, Leibel RL, Pratley R, Ravussin E. Association between uncoupling protein polymorphisms (UCP2-UCP3) and energy metabolism/obesity in Pima indians. Human molecular genetics 1998. PMID: 9700198


  30. Burton LC, Leff B, Harper M, Ghoshtagore I, Steinwachs DA, Greenough WB, Burton JR. Acceptability to patients of a home hospital. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society 1998. PMID: 9588374


  31. Leff B, Burton L, Bynum JW, Harper M, Greenough WB, Steinwachs D, Burton JR. Prospective evaluation of clinical criteria to select older persons with acute medical illness for care in a hypothetical home hospital. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society 1997. PMID: 9288013


  32. Finucane TE, Harper M. Ethical decision-making near the end of life. Clinics in geriatric medicine 1996. PMID: 8799354