Abstract
Background:Recently, there has been an increase in life expectancy due to improvements in nutrition, health, and sanitation. The aim of this study was to evaluate the geriatric curriculum in the field of general medicine at Shiraz University of Medical Sciences (SUMS), Iran to improve the quality of services provided to this population in the community.Methods:This was a qualitative study. Six educational hospitals and ambulatory centers of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences participated in this study. Within these centers, 15 medical education faculty members and educational experts, 6 medical students, 6 elderly patients and 6 nurses working in the university related to the geriatric field were selected using purposive sampling. Data were gathered through semi-structured interviews, focus group discussion and field observations in the teaching hospital and ambulatory setting of SUMS from June 2017 to May 2018. Based on the qualitative research, the data underwent conventional content analysis and the main themes were developed from this.Results:Three main themes were extracted from the data: effective clinical education, geriatrics curriculum challenges and promotion strategies for geriatric medicine. Subcategories that emerged were a competent curriculum teacher, a challenging program, management of resources, promotion of the program, and the revision required in the curriculum, which were related to other concepts and described in the real-world situation of the geriatric curriculum in the university, as observed in field observations.Conclusions:This study identified three concepts as main themes that can be used to explain how to implement a geriatric curriculum in a medical university. The main contributing factor to different views of the participants was identified as the revision required to the curriculum for integrative care in a geriatric patient. This should be taken into consideration while planning any programs and decisions aimed at education of medical students on this topic.
Highlights
One of the issues that the medical profession has to face is prioritizing elderly care, as the number of older people suffering chronic illness and multiple comorbidities is on the rise1
In this study the participants were selected from the medical students of various levels in clinics, clinical professors involved in the geriatrics curriculum, elderly patients, clinical nurses and key informants who were involved in curriculum planning and needs analysis
This study evaluated the geriatrics curriculum implemented at the Shiraz University of Medical Sciences qualitatively using content analysis
Summary
One of the issues that the medical profession has to face is prioritizing elderly care, as the number of older people suffering chronic illness and multiple comorbidities is on the rise. The aim of this study was to evaluate the geriatric curriculum in the field of general medicine at Shiraz University of Medical Sciences (SUMS), Iran to improve the quality of services provided to this population in the community. The main contributing factor to different views of the participants was identified as the revision required to the curriculum for integrative care in a geriatric patient. This should be taken into consideration while planning any programs and decisions aimed at education of medical students on this topic
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.