Geriatric Health Is the Missing Link in Medical Education

Recently, due to the advancement of nutrition, health, and treatment, the human lifespan has become much longer than before, and the number of people who are considered as elderly people is increasing day by day owing to the physiological changes that occur with aging. It is evident that the elderly are more susceptible to diseases than the young. In addition, it has been observed that at least ۹۰% of the elderly are suffering from chronic diseases; however, despite such problems, they need more extensive care (۱, ۲). Around the world, the number of average trained geriatric doctors per country is very different, and it is seen that in many countries, including Iran geriatrics specialty is still in its early stages (۳). Due to the aging of the population and the complexity of the medical care of the elderly, basic geriatric health (GH) training should be received by every doctor while being educated to gain knowledge, skills, and attitudes connected to the elderly (۴). Effective GH care management, with an emphasis on the care of healthy and functional elderly patients, is recommended to be used as a comprehensive health screening. Physicians can identify and improve specific problems that are common in the elderly by using simple facilities for assessment and also turn to preventive care and preventive medical management instead of disease intervention (۵).