Research and education in geriatrics at German universities and colleges

Abstract

To assess the situation of geriatric research and education at German universities, a questionnaire was sent out to all medical faculties (n = 37). The response rate was 91.9% (n = 34). There are five universities with a geriatric chair (14.7%), one with a department of geriatric medicine within internal medicine, and two departments of geriatric psychiatry. At 15 universities geriatric research is established (44.1%), but only 12 universities report that geriatric contents are implemented in the teaching of medical students. The comparison of universities with and without geriatric chairs and departments showed big differences. Whereas all universities with geriatric chairs or departments conduct geriatric research and offer education in geriatric medicine, the others failed to do so. Only 26.9% (n = 7) have geriatric research and 15.4% (n = 4) offer medical teaching in geriatrics. There is a strong link between geriatric chairs, research, and pregraduate teaching. Geriatric medicine is established only at few universities. To improve the overall situation of geriatrics in Germany the implementation of further geriatric chairs and departments at universities seems to be necessary.