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Geriatric psychiatry training in Canada: current teaching facilities and resources
M O Agbayewa1, J R Walker, P Leichner
1University of British Columbia, Department of Psychiatry, Prince George Regional Hospital, Prince George.
Canadian Journal of Psychiatry. Revue Canadienne De Psychiatrie
|February 1, 1989
Summary
Canadian psychiatry residency programs offer limited geriatric psychiatry training, averaging ten hours annually. Most programs encourage elderly care exposure, but specialized teachers are concentrated in few centers, impacting future needs.
Area of Science:
- Geriatric Psychiatry
- Medical Education
- Psychiatry Residency Training
Background:
- Growing elderly population necessitates specialized geriatric psychiatry care.
- Current training structures in Canadian psychiatry residency programs require evaluation for geriatric psychiatry content.
- Understanding the scope of geriatric psychiatry training is crucial for addressing the needs of an aging demographic.
Purpose of the Study:
- To survey Canadian psychiatry residency programs regarding their geriatric psychiatry training activities.
- To assess the extent of didactic instruction and clinical rotations in geriatric psychiatry.
- To identify challenges and opportunities in geriatric psychiatry education.
Main Methods:
- A survey was distributed to Canadian psychiatry residency programs.
- Fourteen out of sixteen programs responded to the survey.
- Data collected included hours of didactic instruction and availability of geriatric psychiatry rotations.
Main Results:
- An average of ten didactic hours per year was reported across the four-year residency.
- Most programs (15/16) have facilities for geriatric psychiatry rotations.
- The majority of programs encourage trainee exposure to elderly care, but specialized faculty are concentrated in a few centers.
Conclusions:
- Current geriatric psychiatry training in Canadian residency programs is limited.
- There is a need to address the concentration of specialized faculty and enhance training to meet future demands.
- Recommendations are proposed to improve geriatric psychiatry education and care for the elderly.