Geriattract: A prospective survey on the attractiveness of the geriatrics specialty to medical students
Type de matériel :
TexteLangue : français Détails de publication : 2025.
Ressources en ligne : Abrégé : Second to sixth year medical students were asked to complete two questionnaires: one on the first day of their geriatrics placement and another on the last day. The questionnaires assessed stereotypes surrounding aging and the geriatrics specialty, with results compared before and after the placement. Results Of the 190 students who completed the first questionnaire, 134 responded to the second. Findings showed that 75% of respondents were female, 72% were in their fourth year, and 28% had prior experience in geriatrics. Initially, 78% of students believed that age limited medical care, compared to 41% after the placement (p < 0.001). The percentage of students who attributed older adults’ health problems to natural aging decreased from 59% to 37% (p < 0.001). Before the placement, 27% thought all complementary tests could be performed on older adults, compared to 49% afterward (p = 0.01). Sixteen percent of students initially had a negative image of older adults, compared to 6.8% after the placement (p < 0.01). Regarding the specialty itself, 31% considered geriatrics boring before the placement, compared to 9.7% afterward (p < 0.001). The perception that geriatrics was focused on chronic diseases decreased from 40% to 25% (p = 0.024). Overall, 85% of students experienced a change in their perception of geriatrics, and 92% felt that early exposure to geriatrics was beneficial, up from 83% (p < 0.001). The intention to choose geriatrics increased from 10% to 16%, though without statistical significance. Conclusion The study highlights key misconceptions about aging and demonstrates that clinical placements in geriatrics can significantly shift perceptions, making the specialty more appealing to medical students.
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Second to sixth year medical students were asked to complete two questionnaires: one on the first day of their geriatrics placement and another on the last day. The questionnaires assessed stereotypes surrounding aging and the geriatrics specialty, with results compared before and after the placement. Results Of the 190 students who completed the first questionnaire, 134 responded to the second. Findings showed that 75% of respondents were female, 72% were in their fourth year, and 28% had prior experience in geriatrics. Initially, 78% of students believed that age limited medical care, compared to 41% after the placement (p < 0.001). The percentage of students who attributed older adults’ health problems to natural aging decreased from 59% to 37% (p < 0.001). Before the placement, 27% thought all complementary tests could be performed on older adults, compared to 49% afterward (p = 0.01). Sixteen percent of students initially had a negative image of older adults, compared to 6.8% after the placement (p < 0.01). Regarding the specialty itself, 31% considered geriatrics boring before the placement, compared to 9.7% afterward (p < 0.001). The perception that geriatrics was focused on chronic diseases decreased from 40% to 25% (p = 0.024). Overall, 85% of students experienced a change in their perception of geriatrics, and 92% felt that early exposure to geriatrics was beneficial, up from 83% (p < 0.001). The intention to choose geriatrics increased from 10% to 16%, though without statistical significance. Conclusion The study highlights key misconceptions about aging and demonstrates that clinical placements in geriatrics can significantly shift perceptions, making the specialty more appealing to medical students.




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