Geriatric medical education for medical undergraduate students in UK and its implications to China

Abstract

In the United Kingdom, undergraduate education of geriatric medicine focuses on helping students understand or describe relevant contents, with only a few ability requirements. At most medical schools, the teaching of geriatric medicine is integrated with other clinical curriculums, such as mental health and internal medicine. The pedagogy of geriatric medicine that consists of formal and informal ones, tends to become varied and has some innovations in terms of simulation education, interdisciplinary education, and student-centered education. Based on the relevant experience in the UK, it is suggested that China should study and formulate the teaching requirements of geriatrics for undergraduate clinical medicine specialty in order to standardize and promote related work. Medical colleges and universities can better integrate geriatric knowledge into the existing curriculum system, constantly innovate geriatric teaching methods, actively use simulation teaching, student-centered education and other ways to improve the teaching effect. Key words: Undergraduate medical education; Geriatric medical education; UK