Geriatric clinical training in medical schools.

The primary purpose of geriatric training in medical school is to improve the care of the elderly by practitioners in every specialty, by increasing their knowledge base and fostering interest in older patients. A secondary goal is to interest some students in geriatrics as a career. For > 10 years, leaders in medicine and medical education have strongly recommended clinical geriatric training for medical students, but only a few programs have been implemented. Geriatrics educational experiences must be required; otherwise, not enough medical students will elect to take these courses. Although we still do not know which model best provides this experience, evaluations of existing programs suggest that geriatrics can be taught in both long-term care and acute settings, involving well-designed curriculum and interested faculty. More studies are needed, but exposure to well elderly and community-based programs may also improve attitudes toward the elderly and thereby further improve their medical care.