General Psychiatry Resident Perceptions of Geriatric Psychiatry: A Qualitative Study

Area of Science:

• Geriatric Psychiatry
• Mental Health Workforce Research

Background:

• Growing population of older adults with mental health needs.
• Increasing demand for geriatric psychiatrists.
• Shrinking geriatric psychiatry workforce.

Purpose of the Study:

• Investigate psychiatric residents' perceptions of geriatric psychiatry.
• Understand reasons for fewer psychiatrists specializing in geriatric care.
• Identify strategies to counteract the shrinking workforce trend.

Main Methods:

• Conducted two focus groups with general psychiatry residents.
• Explored perceived challenges and benefits of geriatric psychiatry.
• Analyzed transcripts using a qualitative, thematic approach.

Main Results:

• Identified key themes: perceived challenges, benefits, and learning goals.
• Challenges included subspecialty-related (demanding, complex), patient-related (low confidence, futility), and system-related (stigma, low resources) factors.
• Benefits included subspecialty-related (impactful, meaningful), patient-related (rewarding), and system-related (needed) aspects. Residents desired training in complex pharmacology, medical comorbidity, ethics, and legal concerns.

Conclusions:

• A growing patient-provider mismatch in geriatric psychiatric care is anticipated without intervention.
• Residents' attitudes highlight barriers and opportunities to increase geriatric psychiatry fellows.
• Addressing negative perceptions and enhancing training are vital to bolster the geriatric psychiatry workforce.