Dr. Christine Shina, MD

Dr. Shina is board-certified and fellowship-trained in Geriatric Medicine from the University of Michigan, where she focused her training on the appropriate care of geriatric syndromes for those over the age of 65. Sixty-five-year-olds are considered babies in her eyes—most of her patients are between 80 and 100 years old.

Born and raised in Michigan, Dr. Shina focused on school and helping in the family business. She attended Detroit’s Wayne State University College of Science on a full scholarship and received her Bachelor of Science degree in Biological Sciences in 1998. She was accepted into WSU School of Medicine where, during her clinical years, she trained at various sites in Michigan, including Beaumont, Providence, Henry Ford, Oakwood, and all the DMC hospitals (Detroit Receiving, Children’s, Karmanos, VA, Harper, and others), as well as other local clinics, before receiving her medical degree in 2002.

Wanting to remain local, learn from excellent educators, and benefit from the vast hospital systems available, she joined the WSU-Detroit Medical Center to complete her Internal Medicine Residency in 2005. Planning a career as a primary care physician, Dr. Shina felt it was imperative to receive optimal training in geriatrics to serve the needs of our growing aging population. She extended her training at the U-M Geriatric Fellowship Program, completing it in 2006.

Thereafter, she joined the Henry Ford Health System Internal Medicine Department at the West Bloomfield site. There, she began carving out a niche geriatric clinic, opened the door for home visits for some of her clinic patients, made connections with local assisted living facilities, and was involved in community education with local seniors and physicians.

As her role grew, she became part of the Neurology Department and then the Geriatric Department, developing the Multidisciplinary Geriatric Assessment Clinic and playing a key role in creating the Multidisciplinary Balance Assessment Clinic alongside neurologists, otolaryngologists, physical therapists, and others. She also worked closely with neurologists trained in dementia and served on various committees, including the Ethics Committee.

Bringing the Geriatric Department to West Bloomfield HF, Dr. Shina began seeing patients at Nottinghill Subacute Rehabilitation Facility when it first opened, serving as the sole physician for the rapidly growing facility. She balanced this role with her work at the Geriatric Assessment Clinic and the Multidisciplinary Balance Clinic until she was blessed with her first child—and then her second a few years later.

In 2018, Dr. Shina joined Avalon Physician Services to continue helping the elderly population receive optimal medical care despite being unable to travel to outside clinics and testing departments. When Avalon Primary Care opened in 2024, she began seeing adult patients in the office while continuing her visiting physician responsibilities.

Her clinical interests include prevention, disease management, geriatric syndromes (including dementia, depression, and balance issues), and quality-of-life goals. Her personal interests include cuddling with her children, imparting words of wisdom in silly voices, spending time with family, traveling, cultivating her cooking skills, and exploring her newfound natural talent as a golfer.