Futureproofing medicine: why geriatric medicine student societies are a must

With an ageing population, older adults are the most frequent users of health and social care services, yet geriatric medicine remains under-represented in many medical school curriculums.12 Research by the British Geriatrics Society (BGS) found that UK medical students receive on average just 4 weeks of dedicated geriatrics teaching over a 4-6 year degree.3 This limited exposure contributes to a lack of interest in the specialty and reinforces ageist attitudes within healthcare systems.45 Older people living with frailty and multiple long term conditions have complex health and social care needs, requiring a workforce equipped with the knowledge, skills and attitudes to care for them. Yet, this educational shortfall risks leaving graduates underprepared for clinical practice and worsening the mismatch between clinical need and care provided.6 We propose that student-led societies could play a crucial role in dealing with the well documented gaps in undergraduate education on ageing and care of older adults.