Qualifications To Practice Geriatric Medicine

You don’t need special qualifications to participate in Geriatric/Long-Term Care Medicine. The practice of medicine relating to geriatric patients is nothing new. Family Practitioners and Internists like you are already doing it every day.

Geriatric Medicine does have its own special features that need to be appreciated and recognized. This doesn't mean you have to be fellowship trained to be an effective geriatric practitioner. The number of fellowship positions available isn’t even close to the actual number of geriatric physicians needed.

More on Qualifications and Geriatrician Shortage

As a practicing physician you are already involved with the care of our seniors. There are basic Long-Term Care practices you will need to familiarize yourself with and some of these are regulatory in nature. The clinical skills needed are well within your capability as a trained Internist or Family Practitioner.

To be the most effective geriatric physician you can be I do recommend further study and experience with seniors in the particular environment you choose. But this training needn't be financially burdensome nor excessively time consuming. There's been a steady growth of geriatric organizations that provide the additional resources needed.

Find some Geriatric Medicine Educational resources

Today there are approximately 7600 geriatric physicians who are Board Certified in Geriatric Medicine. A majority of these obtained their certification by “grand-fathering” in without formal training. They proved their qualifications through their experience and passing a written exam. Today there are only 475 fellowship slots available with approximately half being filled. So, as you see, there is plenty of room for you to help.

The need is so great and the available formally trained physicians aren't going to make up the difference. That makes it possible for you to enter the field of geriatrics now. You already possess the minimum necessary skills to start today. You will pick up the rest of the needed skills by practicing and using continuing education resources (like the rest of us).