Online Geriatrics Degrees

Geriatrics Training Programs

If you have always had an interest in medicine and the elderly, a career in geriatrics might be a great match. There has never been a time when geriatricians have been needed more. The New York Times reports that the U.S. is currently experiencing an extreme shortage of geriatricians. Currently, there is only one per every 5,000 adults over age 65. As people live longer and America's population ages, the demand for people with geriatrics degree training should continue to increase.

Geriatrics Physicians and Nurses

Most people who receive training in geriatrics are physicians or nurses who pick it as a specialty. Physicians choose geriatrics as a specialty within their field, such as psychiatry, internal medicine, or neurology. They learn about what diseases and conditions are most common among the elderly, and about special care for the elderly. The American Geriatrics Society recently started the Geriatrics for Specialists project. They are working to increase the amount of geriatrics training received by physicians and surgeons in residency programs.

Nurses can choose from a wide variety of degree specialties, focusing on particular diseases, organs and body systems, or sections of society. Geriatrics nurses have chosen to specialize in the care and treatment of the elderly. In their degree programs, geriatrics nurses take courses in their specialty, such as end of life care, and the legal and ethical issues of aging.

Geriatrics Salaries

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, registered nurses earn around $52,330 per year. The New York Times states that physicians with geriatrics specialties make $150,000 per year on average. While this figure is low when compared to surgeons' salaries, the Times mentions that geriatrics doctors have very high job satisfaction compared to other specialties.

Sources:
"Geriatrics for Specialists," The American Geriatrics Society
"Geriatrics Lag in Age of High-Tech Medicine," NYTimes.com
"Registered Nurses," U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics