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What would you tell a trainee who is interested in pursuing a career in geriatric medicine but is concerned about the relatively low number of people who enter/match into the field?

6 Answers
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Geriatric Medicine · Stanford

A trainee who is interested in pursuing a career in geriatric medicine should consider the long-term potential of contributing meaningfully to the field and to the lives of their patients. Although there are concerns from trainees about the relatively low number of people who enter/match into the fi...

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Geriatric Medicine · UCSF Medical Center

A career in geriatric medicine is very rewarding and is number 2 on the list of specialties with high well-being. The low match rate is likely more due to less exposure to Geriatrics in medical school and residency, as well as ageism in medicine.

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Geriatric Medicine · Wake Forest University School of Medicine

Do it! That's my advice!

The population is continuing to age, and there is now and will continue to be a demand for well-trained geriatricians, especially at academic centers. While the numbers of people entering the field are small, it's been a stable number over time. And the options for careers i...

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Geriatric Medicine · IU Health

I wouldn't be worried about the low number of people. I agree with Dr. @Dr. First Last' comment that a lot of students and residents don't have exposure to geriatrics during training and that, sadly, ageism plays a role. Also, geriatrics wasn't a board-certified specialty until the 1980s, so it is s...

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Geriatric Medicine · UCSF Medical Center

I wholeheartedly agree with all previous points and want to underscore that the field is wide open, presenting amazing opportunities to improve the lives of older adults via clinical care, research, and education. I would also encourage trainees to speak with as many geriatricians as possible and at...

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Geriatric Medicine · Brown University

I would ask them what they were looking for and be honest about the challenges and successes I have experienced. Every career path has pros and cons. The popularity of a specialty among residents is ephemeral compared with the years (hopefully decades) one ultimately spends in their chosen field of ...

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