SOME OF MY BEST FRIENDS ARE OLD: A QUALITATIVE EXPLORATION OF MEDICAL STUDENTS' INTEREST IN GERIATRICS

Abstract

This paper provides insight into the reasons underlying medical students' interest in geriatrics. Semi-structured interviews, informed by attitude theory, were conducted with first-year medical students who indicated that they were not interested in geriatric medicine (n = 10) and those who indicated that they were moderately to very interested in geriatrics (n = 10). The interviews were analyzed qualitatively. While most students in both groups did not plan on pursuing geriatric medicine, differences were found between the two groups. Students who expressed an interest in geriatrics had more positive and negative experiences with older adults, were more comfortable with palliative care, did not view their patients as responsible for their illnesses, and held more fears about aging and death than did those students who were not interested in geriatrics. The discussion of the results focuses on the role of experience in students' interest in geriatrics, and their beliefs about personal gain and loss and the field of medicine in general. Implications for educators, including the need to increase exposure to older patients and geriatric medicine for all students, are discussed.

The authors thank James House, Ph.D., Tom Fitzgerald, Ph.D., Ruth Dunkle, Ph.D., Mark Chesler, Ph.D., Jeff Halter, M.D., Linda Wray, Ph.D., Mark Supiano, M.D., and Brent Williams, M.D. for their generous help and support.

This research was funded by a grant from the Reynold's foundation and a NIA training grant ( AG00117).