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Consider Pursuing a Medical Career as a Geriatric Specialist

By WTOP Staff

Geriatrics is a medical subspecialty focused on the practice of medicine for people over the age of 65. Geriatricians have the unique opportunity to accompany people as they approach the ends of their lives.

In this field, you will deal with patients that tend to have multiple medical problems and cognitive issues. The goal of a geriatrician is to provide optimal care for older people. If you wish to assist people aging gracefully, consider pursuing a medical career in geriatrics.

Geriatricians train in internal medicine or family medicine after medical school and then complete a geriatrics fellowship. Geriatricians work in a variety of settings including academic medical centers, nursing homes, private offices, research institutions and health centers.

[Explore the life of a public health specialist.]

Geriatric patients are living examples of history and resiliency. I love asking patients who are over 80 years old how they lived so long. The answers are as varied as the people and include everything from exercise, to a drink every evening, to love or a spiritual connection.

As we age, our ability to do things like walk, talk, think, taste and hear changes degenerates. Many elderly people experience losses resulting in implications for their daily activities.

For example, loss of taste buds reduces appetite because food no longer tastes good. Consequently, patients lose weight or fail to ingest proper nutrients due to poor intake of wholesome food or an increase in sugary or salty foods, which can have implications for blood pressure and diabetes. Gum disease, ill-fitting dentures or tooth decay can also affect how a patient eats.

[Consider shadowing a physician to gain medical school insight.]

The geriatrician must be fully cognizant of nonverbal flags at all times. For example, pay attention when the patient walks into the exam room and moves from chair to exam table. Gait and mobility are critical factors in telling how an elderly patient interacts with the world. Instability may point to a diagnosis such as Parkinson’s disease or vitamin deficiency.

By listening to a patient’s speech, a geriatrician becomes especially attuned to cadence, fluency and the ability to identify items of concern.

Physical appearance is a clue to how the patient is doing at home. Signs of dishevelment or poor hygiene may point to the patient needing assistance. Geriatricians must consider the patient’s recent life changes, mental capacity and other factors in addition to physical condition.

[Get more tips on applying to medical school.]

For example, perhaps the patient lives alone, has a home with stairs or has recently experienced the loss of a loved one and lacks social support on a daily basis.

In some cases, the geriatrician may have to engage social services to asses home care possibilities and occupational health fixes. Identifying family members who may be able to provide assistance or engage in home health will help ensure the patient is safe at home and able to perform activities of daily living. It requires a multidisciplinary team to fully assess a patient’s situation.

Patients may feel pressured to ask the physician to fix what ails them. While some patients prioritize living longer , many just want their ailments to be identified and then shift their focus to quality of life. Either way, the geriatrician must open a dialogue to identify the patient’s priorities.

While it depends on the cognitive ability of the patient, offering to talk to a family member is always good practice. Oftentimes a family member accompanies the patient to the geriatrician, making it easier to talk to the family. Calling a family member to discuss important aspects of care is also a good idea, especially when there is a change in medication or a new diagnosis.

Since geriatric patients die rather frequently given their age, taking care of this population requires a team of health care professionals and most often involves having a relationship with a patient’s family members.

As a medical student interested in geriatrics, focus on a broad-based clinical experience in preparation for an internal medicine residency. Seek out a mentor in the department of geriatrics and consider clinical research in geriatrics or a medicine related area like nephrology, cardiology, endocrinology, neurology or pharmacology. Identify residency programs with a strong geriatrics focus, especially those in areas with large geriatric populations.

More from U.S. News

Explore the Life of a Public Health Specialist

Get to Know a Day in the Life of a Hospitalist

Wait to Determine a Medical School Specialty

Consider Pursuing a Medical Career as a Geriatric Specialist originally appeared on usnews.com

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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