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Medical Students
As ever greater numbers of the nation's 78 million baby-boomers reach retirement age, it is critical for physicians to know more about caring for older patients.
To better prepare UC Irvine medical students to deal with this population, the Division of Geriatric Medicine & Gerontology provides training in the unique needs of older patients. Each year, as students learn more about the consequent challenges and rewards in caring for these patients, several decide to become geriatricians.
The division offers:
- Mentors, lectures and other active learning experiences in the Clinical Foundations course
- Elective rotations in geriatric medicine for third and fourth-year students. View a sample rotation schedule >>
- An elective focus on geriatric medicine in the Family Medicine clerkship
- Participation in Medical Readers' Theater (MRT), an activity funded by a grant from the Donald W. Reynolds Foundation, during the Family Medicine clerkship
Medical students who opt for these clinical opportunities work with geriatricians as they provide ambulatory and long-term patient care. Students also participate in interdisciplinary team assessments of older patients with complicated medical issues and they learn about a variety of community activities available to older adults.
The Division of Geriatric Medicine & Gerontology offers all medical students the opportunity to "tag along" with faculty members as they see patients or attend community activities. Tag-alongs are usually a half-day. Options include:
- Conducting a comprehensive half-day assessment for ambulatory older adults and their caregivers called the Health Assessment Program for Seniors (HAPS)
- Home visits
- Visiting the Orange County Elder Abuse Forensic Center to learn about elder mistreatment
- Adult day services
- Long-term care
- Hospital consultations
- Family orientation meetings at the Orange County Alzheimer's Association
The Division of Geriatric Medicine & Gerontology also offers elective rotations in geriatric medicine for external medical students.
Our faculty members also support the Geriatrics Student Interest Group for medical students who have a special interest in geriatric medicine. Its members typically enjoy working with older adult patients or want to familiarize themselves with this population. Students involved in this organization have been selected for a variety of national educational opportunities.
Activities typically include:
- Hands-on clinical activities
- Get-togethers at a faculty member's home
- Talks on how a young physician works with older patients
- Fall immunization clinic for older adults
- Group visits to community agencies that provide service to older adults (e.g. Braille Institute of Orange County)
- Conversation hours on being a new faculty member in the field
- Health fairs for seniors
- Geriatric fellowship opportunities
- Research and educational funding opportunities
The student interest group is a relaxed, fun introduction to working with geriatric patients. Regular attendance is not required and there are no dues.
View our medical student clerkship videos ›
For more information about elective rotations, geriatric tag-alongs, the Geriatric Student Interest Group and Reynolds grant programs, contact:
Division of Geriatric Medicine & Gerontology
200 S. Manchester Ave., Ste. 835
Orange, CA 92868
Phone: 714.456.5530
Fax: 714.456.7933
