- Continue learning geriatrics regardless of your residency track by
a. Reading - Geriatric Review Syllabus, Geriatrics at
Your Fingertips, Journal of the American Geriatrics
Society
b. Attending meetings which focus on geriatric care issues - American Geriatrics Society, Gerontological Society of America, or American Society on Aging.
c. Pursuing Geriatric Clinical experiences by working with a geriatrician in your community.
d. Learning on the internet with online education -
http://www.healthinaging.org
http://www.americangeriatrics.org
http://www.nia.nih.gov/
- Help to promote geriatrics and join geriatric interests groups. If there are none in existence near you, consider forming a medical student chapter of the AGS. You can find out more about this by logging into www.americangeriatrics.org and linking to the medical student section.
a. Consider joining organizations:
The American Geriatrics Society (AGS) - http://www.americangeriatrics.org
The American Academy of Home Care Physicians (AAHCP) -
http://www.aahcp.org
The American Medical Directors Association (AMDA) -
http://www.amda.com
The Society of General Internal Medicine (SGIM) Geriatrics section -
http://www.sgim.org/geriatrics.cfm
American Society on Aging (ASA)
http://www.asaging.org
The Gerontological Society of America (GSA)
http://www.geron.org
Or join your local chapters of these national organizations.
- Participate in research relating to geriatric topics
a. Consider applying for grants available for these projects - the American Federation for Aging Research (AFAR), the John A. Hartford Foundation (JAHF), the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the American Society on Aging, and other organizations that may provide funding.
http://www.afar.org
http://www.jhartfound.org/
http://www.asaging.org/students/research_awds.cfm
http://www.rwjf.org/index.jsp
They also have a links page with other granting organizations: http://www.afar.org/links.html
b. Submit abstracts for national meetings on your research topic. Many of the above listed organizations have annual meetings and accept abstract submissions. To find out more about abstract submission deadlines and requirements, log onto the organizations websites and look for annual meeting information. Many organizations, such as the AGS or GSA, will have scholarships that provide support money for travel.
- Select mentors within the field of geriatric medicine or within your area of interests who have geriatric sub specialization (i.e. geriatric endocrine, geriatric oncology, or geriatric surgery).
- Select to do a geriatric medicine clerkship elective at your program. This will give you a sample of geriatric clinical care. Geriatric education electives vary depending on your program and location. Consider doing an away elective at another program to get a better overall view of geriatric medicine.
- Consider applying for fellowships in geriatric medicine after your residency. Currently only internal medicine and family practice residents qualify to apply. You should choose to do either a residency in internal medicine or family practice if you wish to enter into a geriatric medicine fellowship. Geriatric medicine fellowships are formatted to your particular interests. If you are interested in only clinical medicine, there are one year clinical tracks that would allow you to sit for the standard Certificate of Added Qualifications in Geriatrics (CAQ). There are two year training options at many programs that would allow you to undertake research or administrative activities. There are also three year programs that may allow combined specialization training (geri/endo, geri/rheum, geri/MBA, geri/MPH, etc). You can find more information about these programs by contacting the individual program directors and using the following links:
AMA FREIDA Online
http://www.ama-assn.org:/vapp/freida/srch/1,2667,Y,00.html
American Medical Student Association (AMSA)
http://www.amsa.org/resource/cardevres.cfm
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