[The specialism geriatrics and education for geriatrist].

The future education for a geriatrician in the Netherlands will have to take into account both the scientific-gerontological character (physically, mentally and socially) and the clinical character of clinical geriatrics. The education will have to take place in the geriatric department of an academic hospital. It should include geriatrics, internal medicine, neurology, and long term care of chronically ill elderly. It will be necessary to find a professor who is an expert both clinically and scientifically abroad, e.g. in Great Britain. The author argues for relatively extensive 'medium stay' departments for geriatrics in hospitals in order to provide enough possibilities for training geriatricians and a better connection between hospitals, nursing homes and homes for the aged.