TEACHING OF GERIATRICS IN THE MEDICAL SCHOOLS

To The Editor: At the last Annual Meeting of the American Geriatrics Society it was pointed out that the teaching of Geriatrics in the medical schools is very scanty. In only a handful of schools throughout the nation is Geriatric Medicine considered part of the curriculum (1). In fact, there is a tendency on the part of medical educators, in view of the current trend in medical schools, to reduce the prescribed curriculum to a necessary minimum. This eliminates the possibility that Geriatrics be included in a four-year course for medical students. As a result of this approach, the student is not exposed to any formal indoctrination in Geriatric Medicine on an organized basis. He learns about the aged patient by handling occasional individual problems of the patients or taking care of illnesses afflicting elderly people, in the same way as for other age groups. No guidelines are developed for the care of the elderly. We realize that Geriatric Medicine is not a specialty at the present time. However, we do know that there are certain areas of Geriatric Medicine, or of Geriatric Psychiatry, or of any other specialty of Medicine where care of the elderly patient is somewhat different from that of the young or the mature patient. Teaching with regard to aging or aged patients has been left to the good will or willingness of some of the various professionals who are active in the field of Geriatrics or Gerontology. There are sporadic manifestations of organized Geriatrics. The Annual Meetings of the American Geriatrics Society constitute a good example. Yet the various professional disciplines are beginning to realize that once we want to provide quality care for patients of the geriatric age group whose numbers are increasing so rapidly, more basic information should be available, not only in our own professional field but also in others. Thus, the question: Where would people turn to obtain this information? The logical repositories of this knowledge rest with scientific societies such as the American Geriatrics Society and the Gerontological Society. A roster of available speakers to satisfy the demand would enable us to meet this need, provided it be known to colleges and scientific societies all over the country. The American Geriatrics Society Research Foundation would be an effective instrument to carry out these objectives. More funds and manpower would be required to do this work on an ongoing scale. It would be like a Department of Continuing Education specializing in the field of Aging. It certainly would deserve the support of any national foundation, or the government. An energetic approach would be needed, with the old philosophy that if the mountain doesn't come to Mohammed, then Mohammed goes to the mountain. In a way, we are all fulfilling this role, because those of us who are active in this field are like pioneers and a pioneer can be effective only if he is determined to do a good job. The American Geriatrics Society could be very effective in this role because of our large membership. We are one of the largest of all medical groups. Many of our members would be well qualified to be placed on this roster and become effective in their communities, cooperating with local medical societies or any other scientific groups in upholding the objectives of our society—The Study of Diseases of Advancing Years; Preventive and Curative Treatment.