Here - American Geriatrics Society

P OSTER
A BSTRACTS
reliability of the GSAT was 0.96. 70% participants identified high
need for training in medication management and in differentiating
delirium, dementia and depression (p〈0.05). Residents were significantly
more likely to report interest in training in differentiating
delirium, dementia and depression (p〈0.05) when compared to faculty.62%
of all participants reported low confidence in performing
fall risk assessment with no statistically significant difference between
the groups (p〈0.05). Lowest confidence in teaching was in modifying
management, assessing fall risk, and use of antipsychotics (p〈
0.05). There was no statistically significant difference between the
groups. Residents with high interest of training in medication management,
fall assessment, differentiating delirium, dementia and depression,
and end of life care discussions also had high confidence in
teaching and performing these skills (p〈0.05). It appears that residents’
further interest in training was independent of their confidence.
IM Faculty had no statistically significant interest in further
training in any geriatric skill set.Conclusion: GSAT is reliable at identifying
training needs in geriatric competencies. In this cohort the
need was greater amongst the residents than the faculty. This pilot
data supports the reliability and validity of this tool for curriculum
development in geriatrics.
A67
An Alternative to the Geriatric Physical Diagnosis Lab for Second
Year Medical Students.
N. A. Kayani, S. Hazelett. Summa Health System, Akron, OH.
Background: Previous physical diagnosis labs (PDL) in our institution
involved mock physical exams of community-dwelling elderly
volunteers and were not found to be valuable teaching tools for
second year medical students. Building on an idea from an AGS education
swap in 2009, we developed a new format to teach the important
aspects of basic geriatric care within a limited 2 hour timeframe.
Purpose: To describe a novel interdisciplinary curriculum for
second year medical students that allow students to practice, visualize
and experience for themselves some of the material they have
learned in the classroom setting prior to exposure to real patients.
Methods: During the PDL, the students rotate through a series
of 5 stations each of which is precepted by one of the following Geriatric
Medicine specialists: a physician, a pharmacist, a Fellow in training,
a Clinical Nurse Specialist, Social Worker and an Occupational
Therapist. Six students attend 20 minute sessions at each of the following
stations:
1) Cognitive assessment tools
2) Pharmacology of aging
3) Role of PT and OT
4) Problems with transitions of care using an investigator generated
“price is right” (sources of payment) interactive game
5) Sensory changes with aging
A survey was administered at the end of the PDL where students
were asked to rate from 1-5 the value of the information
gained.
Results: The PDLs have been offered for the last 3 years, with
120 students participating per year. When asked to rank how well
each session helped them become more prepared for assessments or
gain insights into geriatric issues on a scale of 1-5 with 5 being the
best, the average for the cognitive assessments for years 1, 2 and 3
were 4.4, 4.4 and 4.3, respectively. For pharmacology of aging/sources
of payment averages were 4.1, 4.5 and 4.4. For the role of PT and OT
averages were 4.4, 4.5 and 4.4. For transitions of care averages were
4.5 and 4.3, measured in years 2 and 3 only. For sensory changes the
average score was 4.4, measured in year 3 only. Overall value of the
PDL as a learning experience averaged 4.5 each year.
Conclusion: We have combined some standard PDL sessions
with some sessions unique to our program (e.g., the “price is right”
game for the transitions session) which has resulted in a highly valuable
learning experience as reported by students.
A68
Image Atlas of Aging: Highlighting Normal Age-Related Gross and
Histologic Changes.
P. J. Bonavitacola, G. P. Blanchard, S. McGee, K. Johansen,
V. Vanguri, K. Cornejo, A. Khan, C. Burnham, J. Gurwitz,
M. Pugnaire. Division of Geriatric Medicine, University of
Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA.
OBJECTIVE: The Image Atlas of Aging is an original UMMS
educational product developed to highlight normal age-related
anatomic and histologic changes within the renal system. Our goal
was to integrate the Image Atlas into the existing MS1 “Disease,
Structure, and Function” (DSF) curriculum, emphasizing: 1) Normal
anatomic, physiologic, and histologic differences between the young
and aged kidney; 2) The principle of homeostenosis, illustrating how
the renal system becomes more susceptible to acute injury with the
loss of age-related functional reserve (but that disease is not inevitable
with normal aging).
BACKGROUND: There is a dearth of existing educational resources
that pictorially contrast normal age-related anatomic and histologic
organ system changes. Most available resources demonstrate
normal versus pathologic.
METHODS: Pivotal to Image Atlas completion was developing
partnerships with the UMMS Pathology Department and UMMS Division
of Anatomy and Cell Biology. UMMS’ Advancing Geriatrics
Education (AGE)/Reynolds summer student forged new working relationships
with two pathology chief residents and the co-DSF course
director.
Drawing from existing histological and anatomic images generated
by the UMMS Department of Pathology (histologic slides,
culled from recent autopsies and a legacy slide collection) and the
UMMS Division of Anatomy and Cell Biology (dissection images),
and online textbooks, a MS2 student compiled, annotated, and produced
an online module to be used by anatomy students/faculty and
geriatricians.
After discussions with UMMS’ AGE team, the DSF course directors
agreed to integrate the Image Atlas into the DSF curriculum.
The Atlas served as the student prep material both for two UMMS
geriatrician visits to the anatomy lab during abdominal cavity dissections
and an introductory lecture given by an academic geriatrician.
EVALUATION: All MS1s (n=125) will complete an end-ofcourse
evaluation for DSF that will encompass the Image Atlas
module.
CONCLUSIONS: The Image Atlas was successfully incorporated
into the existing DSF curriculum, introducing the concepts of
normal aging and homeostenosis to first year medical students. Our
goal is to have the Image Atlas serve as a prototype to illustrate normal
aging in other organ systems that will also be integrated within
the DSF curriculum.
A69
The Effects of a Pre-Clinical Geriatrics Curriculum on Attitudes
Towards and Interest in Geriatric Medicine.
P. Borker, A. Talati, E. O’Toole, P. DeGolia. Case Western Reserve
University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH.
Supported By: MacGregor Foundation and the Health Resources
Services Administration, Bureau of Health Professions Geriatric
Education Centers Program
BACKGROUND: It is projected that by 2030, 20% of the U.S.
population will be over age 65. Since 1978, the IOM has called for improvements
in geriatric education for health care providers, most recently
re-addressing this issue in 2008. In this study, we assessed the
effects of a multi-year, pre-clinical geriatrics curriculum on student’s
interest in and knowledge of care for geriatric patients.
METHODS: Cohort study of fourteen volunteering medical
students during their second years immersed in a six-week geriatrics
AGS 2012 ANNUAL MEETING
S39