Fourth-Year Curriculum

Course Director: D. T. Lowenthal, MD

Seminars: Basic and clinical discussions of diseases influenced by age-related changes in organs and tissues.

• Endocrine - osteoporosis (HRT), thyroid, diabetes, carbohydrate intolerance, sexuality/dysfunction.
• Cardiovascular - hypertension, chronic heart Failure.
• Orthopedic/Rheumatology - hip fracture, osteoarthritis, polymyalgia rheumatica, spinal stenosis.
• Neurology - tremor, gait, CVA, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's disease.
• Psychiatry - depression, anxiety, paranoia, alcoholism, psycho-pharmacology.
• Infections- influenza, TB, AIDS, UTI.
• Skin - Benign and malignant.
• GU/GYN - BPH, prostate CA, pelvic relaxation syndrome, CA.

Extended Care Visitations/Hospice: Focus on problems seen often in nursing homes discuss halls, pressure sores, restraints, wandering, malnutrition. Hospice - focus on pain management, legal issues, withdrawal of treatment.

Objectives:

• To reinforce the understanding of geriatric illness in primary (1¡) care and in subspecialty disciplines.
• To understand the purpose and problems indigenous to nursing homes.
• To reinforce the knowledge base, attitudes and skills unique to end of life and palliative care.
• To appreciate the team approach unique to geriatric health care.

Competencies expected by the end of the fourth year in Geriatrics - All categories including:

• Human Relationships and Communications
• Professional Behavior
• Health Services Delivery
• Core Discipline
• Basic Science Foundation
• Diagnostic
• Information Management
• Physician Scholar
• Health Care Team
• Health Care Management