Infusing geriatrics expertise in health professions education through interprofessional faculty development

Area of Science:

• Geriatric Medicine
• Health Professions Education
• Interprofessional Healthcare

Background:

• Growing elderly population necessitates specialized healthcare.
• Critical need for healthcare professionals trained in geriatrics and interprofessional care.
• Existing health professions curricula may lack sufficient geriatrics and interprofessional training.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the outcomes of an interprofessional geriatrics training program for healthcare faculty.
• To assess the program's impact on faculty knowledge, skills, and teaching practices.
• To determine the program's effectiveness across four levels: reactions, learning, behavior, and organization.

Main Methods:

• Implementation of a Faculty Development Program (FDP) focused on geriatrics.
• Data collection across four outcome levels: satisfaction, learning, behavioral changes, and organizational impact.
• Assessment of faculty participants' experiences and perceived changes in their teaching.

Main Results:

• The FDP demonstrated positive outcomes in faculty satisfaction and learning.
• Participants showed increased confidence and ability to integrate geriatrics content.
• The program facilitated faculty's capacity to deliver interprofessional learning experiences.
• Evidence of potential for increased geriatrics content in health professions curricula.

Conclusions:

• Faculty Development Programs are effective in enhancing geriatrics training for healthcare professionals.
• Such programs can successfully integrate more geriatrics content into health professions education.
• Training faculty in geriatrics and interprofessional care is crucial for addressing the needs of an aging population.