Changing demographics: As a health care provider, you will be dealing with elderly people no matter what specialty you choose (with the exception of obstetrics and pediatrics, of course). The demographics of the United States are changing. Between 2010 and 2030, the population over 65 will increase by 73%!   Seventy million people (One out of every five Americans) will be over 65.

Your patients will mostly be older people: All internists and general practitioners will see an increase in the proportion of elderly patients in their caseload.  Some projections even show that for today's medical student, over half of their caseload will be patients over the age of 65, as these are the people that go to the doctor most often.

Geriatrics is unique. You'll need special training: Treating geriatric patients requires a different strategy and is very complex.   Additional training and focus is needed, or you risk making errors. For example, common errors include causing iatrogenic problems by polypharmacy or by prescribing normal adult doses to elderly patients.

You'll be a better doctor: Taking an interest in geriatrics will enable you to recognize  problems that are more common among the elderly (such as dementia) and also help you to educate your patients about these issues.

You'll have to make the effort yourself: You may have to make an extra effort because medical education has not yet adapted to the realities of what the world will be like when today's medical students are physicians. As of 1998, the American Association of Medical Colleges shows that only 14 of 126 medical schools require students to take a course in geriatrics, and only 85 offer elective courses. Only 3% of all graduating medical school students have actually taken an elective in geriatrics.

But things are changing, and you'll be expected to know geriatrics: For example, on the 1998 ABIM (American Board of Internal Medicine) Internal Medicine Certifying Exam ten percent  of the questions focused on geriatrics-- tied with critical care medicine for the greatest portion of the exam.

Geriatrics care matters: The vast majority of outcome studies show that good geriatric care results in increased quality of life, lower morbidity, and lower mortality versus traditional medical care.

Huge demand: A 1996 Alliance for Aging Research study shows that there is a shortage of more than 13,000 doctors who are needed to care for geriatric patients. By 2030, the estimate is that 33,000 geriatricians will be needed to care for the elderly. There are currently only 8,800 who are certified in geriatrics. Because of retirement and the 1994 change in requirements for certification in geriatrics, this number is expected to drop. This demand means that you'll have your pick of opportunities in geriatrics.

Emotionally fulfilling:   Geriatricians have more satisfying interactions with patients. In the managed care setting, many physicians complain about not having enough time with patients.   However, being a geriatrician means that you have more time to see  patients because managed care expects you to need the extra time.  Also, many geriatricians make home visits and enjoy the unique interaction they allow.  Contrary to popular opinion, most geriatricians do treat only people who are very near death.  It is not uncommon to see patients for many years, even decades. This allows for an incredible patient-physician relationship to develop.

Intellectually stimulating: Geriatrics is a very intellectually stimulating specialty. Almost every older patient that you take care of will have several concurrent problems. A "simple" case is rare. This means that you, as their doctor, must know not only how to treat and manage each of these problems, but also the interactions amongst them.

A multi-disciplinary, team-based approach allows you to look at all aspects of the patient: As a geriatrician, you will often serve as a team leader, working closely with nurses, social workers, psychologists, pharmacists, physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech therapists, and others. This means that you and the team can do a lot for the "whole" patient rather than focusing only on the medical problem.

Opportunities to focus: The field of geriatrics is wide-open. You can focus on one area (i.e. rehabilitation), or pursue careers in academics, research, health care administration, or even the pharmaceutical industry.