Rethinking frailty and intrinsic capacity in medical education in Europe through an EAMA student collaboration

This study aimed to evaluate how intrinsic capacity, functional ability, and frailty are integrated into European undergraduate medical curricula and to develop an educational tool to address identified gaps.

A two-phase approach was adopted. Phase 1 involved an exploratory survey of 19 universities across 10 European countries to assess whether these concepts were included in curricula, how they were taught, and the allocated teaching hours. Phase 2 focused on creating and disseminating an interactive PDF for teachers and students. The tool was pilot-tested and translated into multiple languages, followed by a feedback survey.

Frailty appeared in learning outcomes in 89% of universities (median teaching hours: 2h; range 0-11h), functional ability in 83% (median 1.5h; range 0-5h), and intrinsic capacity in 28% (median 0h; range 0-8h). Teaching was predominantly lecture-based for frailty and functional ability, while intrinsic capacity was taught through both seminars and lectures. The interactive PDF was endorsed by EuGMS and received positive feedback from 71 respondents across 23 countries. 95.8% found it useful; 90% rated content and design as very good. Most planned to use it in undergraduate teaching (66%).

Intrinsic capacity is scarcely integrated into European medical curricula despite WHO priorities. Embedding this concept alongside frailty requires curriculum-level changes and accessible resources. The interactive PDF offers a practical, multilingual resource to bridge this gap. Broader dissemination and integration into curricula are essential to align education with WHO's Healthy Ageing goals and improve geriatric education and care.