Current projections show that between 2000 and 2050 increasing proportions of older individuals will be cared for by a smaller number of healthcare workers, which will exacerbate the existing challenges faced by those who support this patient demographic. This collection of Age and Ageing papers is accompanied by an expert review on the topic in the past 10 years exploring 1) what best practice geriatrics education is; 2) how careers in geriatrics could be made more appealing to improve recruitment and retention. Based on these deeper understandings we consider, as clinician educators, how to close the gap both pragmatically and theoretically. We point out paradigm shifting solutions which include innovations at the Undergraduate level, use of simulation, incorporation of learner and patient perspectives, upskilling professionals outside of Geriatrics and integration of practice across disciplines through Interprofessional Learning. We also identify an education research methodological gap. Specifically, there is an abundance of simple descriptive or justification studies but few clarification education studies; the latter are essential to develop fresh insights into how Undergraduate students can learn more effectively to meet the needs of the global ageing challenge. A case of improving understanding in delirium education is presented as an illustrative example of a new approach to exploring at greater depth education and outlines suggested directions for the future.
Guest editors: Andrew Teodorczuk, Petal Abdool, Chloe Yap, and James Fisher.
Read the expert review accompanying this collection: New horizons in undergraduate geriatric medicine education
