Butler R N
Ann Intern Med. 1979 Dec;91(6):903-8. doi: 10.7326/0003-4819-91-6-903.
If medical education is to respond adequately to the growing number of citizens encompassed by the field of geriatric medicine, it must intensify its commitment to the special health and health-related problems of the elderly at every level, from student to certified specialist. This paper discusses the various intellectual, epidemiologic, economic, and attitudinal factors related to the teaching and practice of geriatric medicine. The emergence of a positive philosophy emphasizing coping and possible reversibility of disease is vital. The recent report of the Institute of Medicine on Aging and Medical Education is also reviewed, as well as graduate training opportunities and ways in which the American Board of Internal Medicine could play a leading role in this process by providing increased emphasis on geriatrics in its training programs and certifying examinations. The medical profession must continue its self-evaluation to ascertain how it can most effectively contribute to improving the lives of the elderly, perhaps our greatest national resource.
如果医学教育要充分应对老年医学领域所涵盖的越来越多的公民的需求，就必须在从学生到执业专科医生的各个层面，加强对老年人特殊健康及与健康相关问题的关注。本文讨论了与老年医学教学和实践相关的各种知识、流行病学、经济和态度因素。强调应对疾病及疾病可能具有可逆性的积极理念的出现至关重要。本文还回顾了医学研究所关于衰老与医学教育的最新报告，以及研究生培训机会，以及美国内科医学委员会如何通过在其培训计划和认证考试中更加重视老年医学来在这一过程中发挥主导作用。医学界必须继续进行自我评估，以确定如何最有效地为改善老年人的生活做出贡献，而老年人或许是我们最宝贵的国家资源。
