NORTHEAST CAMPUS

Geriatrics

Altru Health System

IMED 9322

Participating Faculty:    Tricia Langlois, M.D.

Offered:   All periods; 1 student/period

Purpose:    The Geriatirc Clinic will be an ambulatory setting where medical students will be educated about a number of key principles and skills
                       necessary for optimal care of older adults.

Objectives of the Elective:

  1. Describe the basic evaluation and management of the geriatric patient, which encompasses understanding the complex medical and psychological needs of the elderly patient.
  2. Describe the basic evaluation and management of the following geriatric syndromes--cognitive impairment (delirium vs dementia), urinary incontinence, osteoporosis, falls.
  3. Manage common complaints of older adults--sleep disturbance, dizziness, arthritis, constipation, fatigue, depression, weight loss.
  4. Narrate how nonspecific symptoms such as anorexia, confusion, falls, and incontinence can signify occult disease.
  5. State how common disease processes such as pneumonia, myocardial infarction, urinary tract infection, and others can present atypically in the older adult.

Instructional Activities:

  1. Case discussion.
  2. Informal didactic teaching oriented toward geriatric topics.
  3. Instruction on basic geriatric screening tools.
  4. Student reading of standard geriatirc texts to support and expand clinical and didactic teaching.

Standards of Performance (Outcomes) Indicating Attainment of Objectives:

  1. The student should be able to efficiently perform an appropriate outpatient geriatric history and physical exam with appropriate differential diagnosis list.
  2. The student should be aable to perform and interpret various geriatric assessment/training tools such as Folstien MMSE and Geriatric Depression Scale.
  3. The student should be able ot diagnose various geriatric syndromes.

Criteria for Grading:

  1. The student's ability to perform an efficient history and physical exam on a geriatric patient as judged by the preceptor's direct observation of clinical skills and review of the student's recorded patient records.
  2. The student's ability to appropriately use geriatric screening tools as judged by the preceptor observation and review of patient medical records.
  3. Following completion of the elective, the standard UND 4th year evaluation form will be completed by the principal preceptor with particular attention to the clinical skills attained in items 1 and 2 above.