Components of Training

Core Training
Core training will be for a minimum of two years, and will provide experience in:

• Acute/evaluation and management care.
  
• Rehabilitative care.
  
• Geriatric medical consultative care.
  
• Domiciliary consultations.
  
• Day and ambulatory (outpatient) care.
  
• Respite care.
  
• Long term care.

A consultant physician in geriatric medicine (geriatrician) should be a member or leader of the geriatric medical unit, and the trainee should have regular contact with that physician, who would generally be the trainee's supervisor. It is recommended that the trainee be exposed to psychogeriatric medicine either as a part of the weekly timetable during core training or as an elective posting. Up to six months of general medicine in an approved post will be accepted as core training for geriatric medicine.

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Procedural Skills
No procedural skills are required for training.

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Elective Training
One year of elective advanced training in an area related to geriatric medicine, e.g. clinical epidemiology, neurology, clinical pharmacology, rheumatology, rehabilitation medicine, palliative care, psychogeriatrics or age related research may be approved for elective training as may a further period of mainstream geriatric medicine.

It is possible to satisfy the requirements of both the SAC in General Medicine and the SAC in Geriatric Medicine with a carefully selected four year program, including one year of post Fellowship training. Generally this will include two core years of geriatric medicine training and two further years of general and specialty medicine, three years of which will be under the supervision of the initially selected SAC. Trainees interested in such a path need to discuss it carefully with the CAT of both SACs, or the Training Section of the College.

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Projects or Case Reports
During advanced training, three written pieces are required of the advanced trainee, each must include a cover sheet which you can download from here. The work is to be prepared as a learning experience. It is understood that the amount of work involved will vary with the position of the trainee. The written piece should form a part of the year's overall training and may be prepared in the course of normal duties. The written piece should have direct relevance to the practice of geriatric medicine. Acceptable types of work include:

• Published research paper (aim for at least one during advanced training).
  
• Published literature review (aim for at least one during advanced training).
  
• Case report and review.
  
• Lecture/platform presentation, e.g. to the Annual Scientific Meeting (ASM) of the Australian Society for Geriatric Medicine (ASGM).
  
• Research proposal.
  
• Audit/QA.
  
• Computer interactive educational program.
  
• Other (if in doubt, the trainee should discuss with the supervisor or a member of the SAC).

The written project will be assessed by two members of the SAC and may be submitted at any time during the year to which it applies and not later than 15 September. If submitted later, there will be a delay in accreditation of training.

It is recommended that advanced trainees present at least once during their training to the ASM of the ASGM and this material would be acceptable as a written requirement.

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Research
It is strongly recommended that trainees develop experience in research skills by participation in at least one research project. Experience should be sought in study design; literature research and review; writing submissions for grants; data collection, storage and analysis; and computer skills for analysing results, statistics and graphics. Success in these activities is demonstrated by publication or presentation of a significant project at a national meeting such as the ASM of the ASGM, or at an international meeting. Such work may also fulfil the written requirements outlined above.

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Training Posts
Posts suitable for core training programs will provide exposure to the range of functions listed above, either sequentially or in an integrated fashion. A list of posts, the majority of which have been formally site visited, is available to prospective and current advanced trainees, from the CAT or the Training Section of the College.

Prospective trainees should contact the CAT if in doubt after discussions with the senior geriatricians in their state. To ensure an adequate range of experience during training, approval will not generally be given to three years of training being spent in one position.

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