Assessing Family Medicine Residents’ Preparedness for the Practice of Geriatric Care

Abstract

Introduction: Family physicians provide care to a growing and often complex group of older adults. Family medicine residencies are expected to prepare trainees to manage the medical and social needs of these seniors, but whether they feel prepared to do so is unknown. This study aimed to assess family medicine residents' sense of preparedness to address geriatric-related issues, and to identify factors that might affect this self-evaluation. Methods: As an exploratory cross-sectional study, a 28-item questionnaire was circulated among 180 McGill University family medicine residents for voluntary completion. The survey assessed residents’ demographics, attitudes toward, and perceptions of their training in geriatrics. Results: One hundred residents (55.5% response rate) completed the questionnaire. Residents perceived their level of preparedness increasing as they progressed in their training; however, they felt least comfortable managing behavioral problems and engaging community resources. Positive perceptions about their training for geriatric care was proportionate to the number of positive role models they had during training. Sense of preparedness was most strongly and significantly associated with the duration of exposure residents had to long-term care. Conclusion: The aging population requires physicians who are interested in care of the elderly and who are adequately prepared through comprehensive training to care for the complex medical and social issues that affect this large segment of society. This study, through its survey of family medicine residents, provides insights about potential curriculum changes and recommendations for updating the approach to care of the elderly.