[Geriatric medical education: an unclosed loop]

Aged population needs competent physicians. This communication studies geriatric medical teaching, intention of first and fourth year students for specializing in Geriatrics and their opinion about its relevance and curricular setting. Curricula from 10 public and 16 private medical schools were analyzed. Students coursing the first (105) and the fourth year (54) completed an ad hoc opinion poll. 98% of the sample never received training in Geriatrics 2% of first year and none of fourth year students revealed intentions in specializing in Geriatrics. 77% of first year and 91% of fourth year students considered Geriatrics as an important specialization whilst 12% and 4% of those students evaluated it as poorly important. 11% and 5% of them did not know what Geriatrics was. 33% of first year and 18% of fourth year students considered Geriatrics as a postgraduate activity whilst 67% and 82%, an undergraduate one (39% and 36% as a particular subject matter and 61% and 64 % included in different ones). The relevance given by medical students to Geriatrics and their interest to be trained on it during their undergraduate stage is shown.