She completed the MD in 2002 and PhD in Musicology in 2010, through the University of Illinois Medical Scholars Program. She completed family practice residency in 2005 and geriatric fellowship in 2007, at UCSF. Her primary appointment is in the San Francisco VA Health Care System, where she works in Home Based Primary Care Program (HBPC), as part of an interprofessional care team providing home-based medical care for vulnerable older veterans. Dr. Allison’s research bridges between the medical humanities and the health sciences. Her research areas include the role of music in creating community in nursing homes; the potential for music to improve quality of life in dementia caregiving relationships; and the perceived health effects of singing in senior center choirs.