The Geriatrics course is designed for clinical phase medical students (4th–5th year) to provide a comprehensive understanding of aging physiology, geriatric syndromes, chronic diseases, functional decline, and geriatric emergencies. The course emphasizes a holistic and multidisciplinary approach to elderly care, integrating clinical, cognitive, functional, psychological, and social assessments to ensure optimal patient management.
Students will gain knowledge and skills to evaluate, diagnose, and manage elderly patients with common and complex medical conditions, including cardiovascular, respiratory, endocrine, renal, neurological, musculoskeletal, and infectious diseases. Special focus is given to frailty, falls, delirium, polypharmacy, and palliative care.
Practical and Clinical Training:
The course incorporates hands-on and clinical training in:
- Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment (CGA) covering physical, cognitive, functional, nutritional, and psychosocial domains
- Medication review and polypharmacy management
- Functional evaluation and fall risk assessment
- Cognitive screening tools (MMSE, MoCA) and delirium assessment
- Multidisciplinary care planning with physiotherapists, occupational therapists, nutritionists, and social workers
- Bedside evaluation of elderly patients in inpatient, outpatient, and community geriatrics settings
- Exposure to geriatric emergencies such as acute confusion, falls with injury, stroke, heart failure, and sepsis
Learning Outcomes:
Upon completion of the course, students will be able to:
- Understand the physiological and functional changes associated with aging.
- Recognize, assess, and manage common geriatric syndromes, including frailty, falls, delirium, dementia, incontinence, and sensory impairments.
- Conduct comprehensive geriatric assessments and integrate findings into individualized care plans.
- Diagnose and manage chronic diseases and acute medical emergencies in elderly patients.
- Apply principles of polypharmacy management, preventive medicine, and palliative care.
- Collaborate effectively with multidisciplinary teams for optimal elderly care.
- Communicate effectively with elderly patients and their families regarding prognosis, treatment, and preventive strategies.
Key Topics Covered:
- Aging physiology and pathophysiology
- Geriatric syndromes: frailty, falls, delirium, dementia, incontinence, sensory impairments, sleep disorders, malnutrition
- Chronic diseases in the elderly: cardiovascular, respiratory, endocrine, renal, neurological, musculoskeletal, infectious diseases
- Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment (CGA)
- Geriatric emergencies: stroke, acute confusion, falls, sepsis, acute exacerbations of chronic diseases
- Functional evaluation, risk stratification, and multidisciplinary care planning
- Ethical, legal, and social aspects of elderly care
Recommended References:
- Harrison’s Principles of Internal Medicine – Geriatrics Section
- Oxford Handbook of Geriatric Medicine
- Principles and Practice of Geriatric Medicine – Fillit et al.
- Clinical Geriatrics – Gurwitz et al.
- UpToDate articles on geriatric syndromes, chronic disease management, and geriatric emergencies
