title: The development of a geriatric postgraduate education assessment instrument using a modified Delphi procedure.
abstract: There is currently wide variation in the structure and content of higher medical training in geriatric medicine across Europe and no common framework within which existing efforts can be compared. We set out to develop an audit tool to compare training between countries. An initial review of indexed and grey literature was used to develop an audit tool which was used as the basis of an Internet-based modified Delphi process incorporating the views of 14 expert geriatricians from across Europe. Items in the audit tool were included or excluded when supported by ≥75% or <50% of respondents, respectively. Items supported by 50-74% of respondents were carried forward with additional suggestions and modifications included following Round 1. Thirteen experts representing 12 countries responded to both rounds. 40/45 items were supported at Round 1. Five items were carried forward. A further 13 elements were introduced for consideration at Round 2. Consensus was gained after the second round. The final tool describes 52 items across four domains: general considerations, topics referring to knowledge in patient care, different roles that should be considered in medical training and topics regarding assessment. The resulting tool can be used as a basis for comparing higher medical training programmes in geriatric medicine between countries. Individual countries can use this to audit current practice. At an European Union level, the insights gained through such audit will form the basis of future work to develop an agreed postgraduate curriculum in the specialty.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Biomedicine of Aging, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Nürnberg, Germany Department of Geriatrics, Klinikum Nürnberg, Paracelsus Medizinische Privatuniversität, Nürnberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Katrin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Singler
authors.affiliation: Division of Medical Sciences and Graduate Entry Medicine, Medical School, Royal Derby Hospital, University of Nottingham, Derby DE22 3DT, UK.
authors.forename: Adam Lee
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Gordon
authors.affiliation: European Academy for the Medicine of Aging, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Gillian
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Robertson
authors.affiliation: Curricular Development and Geriatrics, Medical University of Graz, Graz 8036, Germany.
authors.forename: Regina Elisabeth
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Roller
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000592:standards; D003479:Curriculum / Q000592:standards; D003697:Delphi Technique; D004502:Education, Medical, Continuing / Q000592:standards*; D004521:Educational Measurement / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D005060:Europe; D005853:Geriatrics / Q000193:education* / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans
keywords: core competencies; curricular mapping; curriculum; geriatric medicine; older people