Effect of a long-term care geriatrics rotation on physician assistant students' knowledge and attitudes towards the elderly.

Physician assistants (PAs) have the opportunity to contribute to the high demand of providing health care to the growing older adult population. It is essential they have the knowledge to meet this need. The purpose of this study was to determine the difference in knowledge of and attitudes towards the elderly among a group of PA students before and after a required four-week geriatric rotation. PA students' knowledge of geriatrics was significantly improved following the long-term care rotation. Attitude did not change following the rotation but reflected a positive attitude at baseline. It is recommended that PA programs incorporate a rotation in geriatrics/long-term care to help increase PA students' geriatrics-specific knowledge and to better prepare them to provide care to their elderly patients.