title: What Makes Residents Interested in Geriatric Psychiatry? A Pan-Canadian Online Survey of Psychiatry Residents.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In spite of a rapidly increasing need, there remains a shortage of geriatric psychiatrists in North America. The factors associated with psychiatric residents' interest in geriatric psychiatry have not yet been examined in a nationally representative sample.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Web-based online survey of Canadian psychiatry residents.
  
  
  METHODS
  207 psychiatry residents (24.3% response rate).
  
  
  METHODS
  The main outcome was interest in becoming a geriatric psychiatrist. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were performed to better understand what demographic, educational, and vocational variables were associated with interest in becoming a geriatric psychiatrist.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A number of respondents had an interest in becoming a geriatric psychiatrist (29.0%, N = 60); in doing a geriatric psychiatry fellowship (20.3%, N = 42); or an interest in doing geriatric psychiatry as a part of the clinical practice (60.0%, N = 124). Demographic characteristics (age, gender, ethnicity) did not correlate with interest in geriatric psychiatry. The variables most robustly associated with interest in geriatric psychiatry were: 1) completion of geriatric psychiatry rotation(s) before the third year of residency (OR: 5.13, 95% CI: 1.23-21.4); 2) comfort working with geriatric patients and their families (OR: 18.6, 95% CI: 2.09-165.3); 3) positive experiences caring for older adults prior to medical school (OR: 12.4, 95% CI: 1.07-144.5); and 4) the presence of annual conferences in the resident's field of interest (OR: 4.50, 95% CI: 1.12-18.2).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Exposing medical students and junior psychiatry residents to clinical geriatric psychiatry rotations that increase comfort in working with older adults may be potential future strategies to improve recruitment of geriatric psychiatrists.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Canada. Electronic address: soham.rej@mail.mcgill.ca.
authors.forename: Soham
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rej
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Canada.
authors.forename: Vincent
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Laliberté
authors.affiliation: Division of Geriatric Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.
authors.forename: Mark J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Rapoport
authors.affiliation: Division of Geriatric Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Queen's University, Kingston, Canada.
authors.forename: Dallas
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Seitz
authors.affiliation: Division of Geriatric Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Queen's University, Kingston, Canada.
authors.forename: Melissa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Andrew
authors.affiliation: Division of Geriatric Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada.
authors.forename: Marla
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Davidson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002170:Canada; D002321:Career Choice; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003479:Curriculum; D005260:Female; D005852:Geriatric Psychiatry / Q000193:education*; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D007396:Internship and Residency / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Geriatric psychiatry; comfort working with older adults; early clinical exposure; medical education; predictors of interest; recruitment