Badly Needed: Physician Training in Aging Care

Filed in archive Cases , Medical Career on April 16, 2008

© laRuth


According to the American Medical Association (AMA), there is more need for physicians who are trained for caring to the aged population.

"The Institute of Medicine's new report on caring for the nation's aging highlights the AMA's concern that the current health care workforce will not be able to meet the growing health care needs of the expanding senior population. In twelve years there will be more than 70 million seniors in the U.S. - all of whom expect access to high quality medical care. Patients around the country are beginning to feel the effects of physician and nursing shortages, and it will be impossible to train the anticipated 36,000 geriatricians needed to care for seniors and aging baby boomers.

"With approximately 7,000 geriatricians currently in the United States, all physicians caring for aging patients need to become proficient in geriatric care to help meet the increasing health care needs of seniors. The AMA, in collaboration with other organizations, is working to increase physician knowledge and skills for medical students and practicing physicians to meet their needs at all stages of their medical careers.

Personally, I believe that is a looming problem of the first world country. What with all the population control, there will come a time that there are more senior citizens than the younger work force population. Not just a matter of less doctors trained for aging care, but the lack of doctors itself.

Situation as such, this were "importing" healthcare workers (caregivers, doctors, nurses) from the third world comes in. And then, there might be enough doctors already but might not interested in aging care.

What do you think?

Read the AMA full report.

[Thanks to Katherine Hatwell for the hat tip!]