Geriatrics program for medical students. II. Impact of two educational experiences on student attitudes

In an innovative program in geriatrics for undergraduate medical students, the preliminary report concerned attitudes toward the aged among health care personnel. This follow-up report concerns the stability of, and changes in medical students' attitudes toward the aged after participation in one of the following types of geriatric educational experience: 1) a Family Practice clerkship, or 2) a selective course in Medical Humanities. Although both experiences resulted in positive changes in general attitudes, the one that emphasized empathy toward the elderly along with observation of healthy aged persons produced more positive feelings about rehabilitation potential. Implications for the geriatric training of physicians are discussed in the light of these findings.