The difference between Japan and other countries, in particular the United Kingdom, in views regarding the teaching of geriatrics to undergraduate medical students.
OBJECTIVE
To examine differences in views on geriatrics education at the undergraduate level between Japan and other industrialized countries, including the United Kingdom.


METHODS
We conducted a nationwide survey of professorial staff responsible for undergraduate education in all medical schools in Japan, and an international survey of 37 medical schools and geriatric institutes in other industrialized countries, including 16 medical schools in the United Kingdom.


RESULTS
The results indicate that undergraduate education in geriatrics in Japan emphasizes the theoretical aspects of the aging process and the features of diseases in the elderly, and lacks attention to the practical aspects of care. In contrast, geriatrics education in the United Kingdom and other countries places emphasis on practical aspects of the care of the elderly.


CONCLUSIONS
The introduction of practical aspects of management and care of the elderly to the undergraduate education programme in geriatrics in each medical school in Japan is strongly recommended. This is especially important to meet the needs of the rapid demographic shift towards an older population in this country.
Matsuse
T
T
Department of Geriatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tokyo.
Ozawa
T
T
Orimo
H
H
Fukuchi
Y
Y
Ouchi
Y
Y
Iriki
M
M
D000368:Aged; D004504:Education, Medical, Undergraduate / Q000379:methods*; D005853:Geriatrics / Q000193:education*; D006299:Health Services for the Aged; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D013663:Teaching / Q000379:methods*; D006113:United Kingdom