I depend on AGS for a lot of my continuing education in the field of geriatrics.
Jerome J. Epplin, MD

I joined the American Geriatrics Society in the early '90s. Since 1992, I've chaired the Geriatric Medicine Test Committee that writes the test for the certificate of added qualifications in geriatrics for the American Board of Internal Medicine and American Board of Family Medicine. There were several AGS members on the committee and I learned about the society through them. I got interested after hearing about the opportunities for continuing education in geriatrics that AGS provided.

I practice in a rural area and the opportunities for continuing education - especially in geriatrics - were fairly limited at that time. They're still somewhat limited today, though to a lesser extent, thanks to the Internet. About 80% of my patients are older and I depend on AGS for a lot of my continuing education in the field of geriatrics.

By continuing education opportunities I mean not only the annual meeting but also the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society and all the other publications that you get mailed or emailed to you when you're a member and that keep geriatrics at the forefront of your thinking. AGS is the one organization that focuses only on geriatrics and I find it very helpful in this regard. I also find the AGS' Foundation for Health in Aging's educational offerings for patients very helpful. I share the FHA's brochures and publications and the information on its Web site for patients (www.healthinaging.org) with my patients and tell them about the Web site. It's continuing education for patients.

I'm also very impressed by the AGS' and the FHA's other work on behalf of elders, including the FHA's free referral service that helps older people find geriatrics healthcare professionals in their areas. Since joining AGS, I've also come to appreciate its advocacy efforts and its work toward bettering care for the elderly, fighting to maintain Medicare payment rates, and other important goals.

Over the years I've been involved in various AGS committees and initiatives. I was a member of the Clinical Practice Committee and was on the committee that wrote the second edition of AGS' persistent pain guidelines. I'm on the editorial board of Annals of Long-Term Care. I'm currently part of a committee developing pocket guidelines for dementia. I'm also AGS' representative on an American Academy of Family Physicians project to develop educational programs for family physicians in geriatrics. Sometimes I'm the only practicing physician on these projects. I've been in private practice for 29 years and I do bring a somewhat different mindset to things than academicians and people focused primarily on research. Opportunities to get involved in committees and projects like this are another benefit of membership. They're very satisfying.

Jerome J. Epplin, MD, AGS Member, Family Practice Physician, Litchfield Family Practice Center, Litchfield, Illinois; Clinical Professor, Department of Family Medicine, Southern Illinois School of Medicine, Springfield, Illinois.