[Certificate education for geriatric physician: satisfaction and feasibility].
OBJECTIVE
Korea faces a number of challenges to meet demands in the area of geriatric professional medicine in a country with a rapidly ageing population. We evaluated the satisfaction and feasibility of the current education certification for geriatric physicians.


METHODS
Geriatric physicians who were deemed qualified by the Korean Geriatrics Society during the period of 2001 to 2005 (n=2,200) were asked to complete structured questionnaires sent to them by mail about their satisfaction of and need for certificates of education, as well as their opinions on their geriatric specialty training. A total of 419 physicians responded. Descriptive analysis and hierarchical regression were performed to rate the respondents.satisfaction, the characteristics of the need for clarity and utility in education certification, and the characteristics of their patients.


RESULTS
Although most respondents were satisfied with their education certification, those who had more elderly patients, aged 65 or older, and those who had more cognitively impaired patients, rated their education as significantly lower than did other physicians. Both groups expressed the need for more the comprehensive care and assessment concerning of their education. Multiple regression analysis indicated that satisfaction with geriatric physician qualification was associated with a physician's age, specialty, and percentage of elderly patients.


CONCLUSIONS
This study suggests that the current system of education certification is limited in terms of feasibility and physician satisfaction.
Lee
Sung Chun
SC
Department of Preventive Medicine, Graduate School of Public Health, Seoul National University, Korea.
Kim
Hwa Joon
HJ
Park
Hyung Joon
HJ
Yun
Jong Lull
JL
Kim
Chang Yup
CY
Moon
Ok Ryun
OR
Jang
Soong Nang
SN
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002568:Certification; D004501:Education, Medical / Q000592:standards*; D005260:Female; D005853:Geriatrics / Q000193:education* / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D007723:Korea; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires