Making a Career Choice? Consider This

Grey’s Anatomy. ER. Scrubs. Private Practice. M*A*S*H*.  Dr. Kildare.  Dozens of television’s most popular shows, dating back to the mid-1900s, focus on the dramatic and heroic lives of doctors and medical personnel in assorted positions. We as a society often glorify the medical career, leading to changes in popular medical specialties in correlation with shifting societal demographics. Idealistic medical students tend to choose a specialty based on its attractiveness, the status associated with fashionable “hot” fields, and the enticing salaries that come with entering most high-demand departments. They may crave the excitement of the emergency room, the delicate concentration and prominence of surgery, or the lucrative earnings of cardiology. The choice may also be influenced by the trends and needs of society; plastic surgery to address growing societal pressure, orthopedic surgery to keep up with the professional athletic community, or psychiatry to help the mounting population of those affected by war or tragedy or grappling with mental illness.

One field of medicine is grossly overlooked despite a critical need for it. As America’s baby boomer generation – those born in the years following World War II, considered the time period from 1946 to 1964 by the U.S. Census Bureau – ages, the demand for qualified geriatricians is constantly rising. According to the American Geriatric Society, by the year 2030 we will need approximately 30,000 geriatricians to care for more than 70 million baby boomers reaching retirement age. Unfortunately, as of 2012 there were only 7,356 certified geriatricians in the United States and about half of all medical students are not required to complete geriatric training.

Where have all the geriatricians gone?

The dire shortage of geriatricians is attributed to several factors. For starters, as explained above, geriatrics is not the most exciting field. There is no drama or glamour in caring for the aged. Many young people do not have the patience to constantly deal with elderly patients, their real and exaggerated ailments, meddling family members or carers, or frequent consulting with a multitude of other healthcare professionals. Others find it depressing to treat older patients, especially those who have demanding personalities or suffer from terminal illnesses and will not live long. Students in certain medical schools will have to expend extra effort to take courses in geriatrics and find a fellowship program as numerous schools have not yet adapted their curricula to address the changing demands of society. One of the major detriments of the field, and the most frequently stated in reasoning against becoming a geriatrician, is the low compensation; geriatricians are currently among the lowest-paid physicians in the country.

What does a geriatrician do?

Geriatric medicine is a multi-faceted practice devoted to the unique needs of the elderly population. A geriatrician acts as the primary care physician for patients over age 65, often acting as a “base” doctor for his or her patients who see multiple specialists, which requires working closely with other medical professionals, social workers, therapists, and/or nursing home personnel to provide the highest quality of care. A geriatrician may work in private practice (occasionally in family practice), hospital, or nursing facility.

Who can work in geriatrics?

Once a student concludes a residency in internal medicine or family practice, he or she may go on to complete a one- to two-year fellowship in geriatrics, after which he or she becomes a certified geriatrician. Some may choose to open or join a family practice and treat patients of all ages. Psychiatrists may opt for an additional fellowship to become a geriatric psychologist, an increasingly popular decision for those who wish to work in private practice or in facilities catering to the aged.

Not only doctors can work with the senior population. Skilled geriatric nursing is in high demand as well. Hospitals and nursing facilities require a director of nursing (DON), a prominent and well-paid position, on staff in addition to qualified nurses to care for the residents. Additionally, elder home care is becoming increasingly popular as the “sandwich generation” seeks people to care for their loved ones. Non-medical geriatric careers include nursing home administration, geriatric social work, research, and pharmaceuticals, all of which will increase proportionally with the aged population.

Why should I be interested in geriatrics?

The field of geriatrics is guaranteed to explode as the need increases disproportionately, promising job availability and improved salaries. A motivated, compassionate individual with a strong work ethic and ability to work as part of a team can become incredibly successful as a geriatric specialist. If one is willing to work harder to join the geriatric community, he or she will likely find it intellectually stimulating when diagnosing and treating complex conditions, emotionally fulfilling when connecting with members of a generation who have so much to offer, and satisfying as one realizes that he or she is truly making a difference in patients’ lives. A geriatrician is in a powerful position; he or she is expected to be the “team leader” when working in multi-disciplinary situations.

Are you making a career choice at this point in your life? While it may not seem like the most prestigious field, geriatric care is lush with opportunities and job security. If you are already caring for the elderly, be sure to check out TigerMedical.com for home care products, mobility aids, and medical supplies and equipment to address the unique needs of a unique generation.