Ethnogeriatric assessment clinic in family medicine

The Department of Family Medicine at the University of California-Irvine needed a way to teach resident physicians care of ethnic elders and to provide specific training experiences in the use of geriatric assessment tools. The development of the ethnogeriatric assessment clinic presented the opportunity to do both.

The clinic is part of a cross-cultural geriatrics curriculum spanning the 3-year residency program that includes didactic learning, clinical experience, and a research project. Residents learn the drawbacks of working with translators, use of validated assessment tools, integration of assessment into practice, how home visits contribute unique information, and research aspects of health care of various ethnic groups.

Residents surveyed about their experience in the clinical and rotation uniformly felt it contributed to their knowledge base. Patients surveyed felt they benefited from the evaluation, especially from reassurance about their condition and information about community services.

Developing the ethnogeriatric assessment clinic has benefited the family practice residents and patients, and it has helped address cross-cultural and geriatric issues for an expanding minority population.