title: Geriatric medicine course to senior undergraduate medical students improves attitude and self-perceived competency scores.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aims were to evaluate the effect of a 4.5-week geriatric medicine course on 5th-year medical students' attitudes and self-perceived competency scores. Student performance in the summative multiple choice questions examination in 2011 was compared with results from 2008.
  
  
  METHODS
  Pre- and post-course attitudes (University of California, Los Angeles Attitudes Survey) and self-perceived competency surveys were administered to 65 5th-year medical students following a 4.5-week geriatric medicine course at one South Australian teaching hospital as part of course evaluation and improvement.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significant improvements in students' attitude (mean pre- and post-attitude score (± standard deviation): 3.34 (1.66) vs 3.66 (1.06); P < 0.001) and self-perceived competency (mean pre and post-competency scores: 2.89 (0.84) and 4.03 (0.56); P < 0.001) were observed. The 2011 multiple choice question results were much better than in 2008 (91.5 (3.6) vs 75.2 (7.9); P < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A geriatric medicine course for senior medical students allows for improvement in attitudes and self-perceived competency scores.
authors: Aged and Extended Care Services, The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Central Adelaide Local Health Network, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
authors: Khai Loon
authors: KL
authors: Tam
authors: Khobe
authors: K
authors: Chandran
authors: Solomon
authors: S
authors: Yu
authors: Shailaja
authors: S
authors: Nair
authors: Renuka
authors: R
authors: Visvanathan
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002983:Clinical Competence; D003479:Curriculum; D004504:Education, Medical, Undergraduate / Q000379:methods*; D004521:Educational Measurement; D005853:Geriatrics / Q000193:education*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching; D006801:Humans; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012649:Self Concept; D013021:South Australia; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013663:Teaching
keywords: attitude; geriatric medicine; medical student; self-perceived competency