Geriatrics’ education in Mexico: Review of the current educational scenario in physicians in training (EDUREV)

Abstract

Introduction: There are insufficient health care professionals with basic competencies for the adequate attention of the population of older adults in Mexico. One of the modifiable elements to improve this situation, are the educational interventions that could be implemented in formative years, however, there is a lack of current information regarding geriatrics training in the country.

Objective: To review and register if there is any content parof geriatrics in the curriculum of medical programs of Mexican universities and to describe its characteristics to have a current report regarding the state of geriatrics’ education in Mexico.

Method: Descriptive study, with sample by convenience. A virtual survey was sent to all the medical schools who had current certification from the Mexican Counsel for the accreditation of medical education (COMAEM for the initials in Spanish). If the school failed to answer the survey, the missing information was obtained from the websites of the respective university.

Results: We found that 88% of the medical schools with accreditation from the COMAEM included geriatrics and it was mandatory in 99% of the cases. The content was given as a theoretical class in 56% of the schools and as a theoretical and practical course in 41% of the schools. A percentage of 7% of the teachers in charge of the geriatrics course reported not having any formal training in geriatrics.

Conclusions: There is progress in the dissemination of geriatrics’ information. Next steps should include to achieve a totality of the schools with geriatrics’ content and to try and have some uniformity in the included information.