How to Become a Gerontologist: Specializations, Top Universities, Career Prospects

How to Become a Gerontologist: If you work in the medical field, you can choose from numerous specialities. Many people choose geriatrics courses, where they need specialisation in treating older and aged patients. The importance of geriatricians is increasing rapidly due to their broad knowledge of the aspects that affect older patients.

Apart from that, they are also capable of treating and aligning. As people age, some specific things become more common and they need proper treatments to maintain their overall age and health. In this blog, we will discuss everything you need to know about geriatrics or gerontologist. Without further ado, let’s get started. 

Name of the Course	Geriatrics
Minimum Criteria	Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Field
Important Skills	Communication Skills and Critical Thinking Skills

What is a Geriatric Doctor?

A physician who focuses on identifying, managing, and preventing ailments among senior citizens is known as a geriatrician. These doctors often treat patients who are 65 years of age and older. As they age, older persons are assisted by geriatric physicians to retain their independence and quality of life. These medical professionals have experience treating age-related illnesses including arthritis and stroke. If they have reason to believe that a patient may be suffering from a serious illness like cancer, they may refer them to other experts.

What Does a Geriatric Doctor Do?

A geriatrician treats elderly patients to assist them in managing or avoiding different illnesses. These doctors often have the following tasks, however they may differ significantly depending on their experience and employer:

• Perform physical exams to assess patients’ conditions
• Consult with patients to understand their ailments, medical histories and healthcare priorities
• Diagnose patients and create treatment plans to manage or improve their conditions
• Prescribe medications and assess patients for adverse side effects
• Educate patients about strategies to prevent age-related conditions, such as improved diet or modified exercise
• Collaborate with other health care providers, such as pharmacists or physical therapists
• Provide palliative or end-of-life care for patients with serious illnesses to reduce their pain

Geriatrician vs Gerontologist

Although a geriatrician and a gerontologist have certain similarities, the two professions are significantly distinct. A gerontologist investigates the consequences of ageing, including how it affects one’s mental, physical, and emotional well-being.

On the other side, geriatricians look after the health of older people. While they do require some understanding of the health issues that older individuals are more prone to, they do not research it as much as a gerontologist would. It can be a good idea to minor in gerontology in college if you want to work as a geriatric physician.

After high school, it takes 10 to 11 years to become a geriatrician. This requires finishing your undergraduate studies in four years, medical school in another four years, and a residency that must last at least three years.

As a licenced physician, you will then complete postsecondary training, including one to two years in a geriatrics fellowship.

Why Do You Need to Pursue a Career in Gerontology?

If you want to work with the elderly and pay close attention to their physical well-being, gerontology would be the perfect course for you. When planning to become a professional geriatrics, you need to possess numerous skills.

Apart from building a career in occupational therapy, a gerontology education will help you achieve job offers in education, policy, management system, and social work. 

How Can You Become a Gerontologist?

Years of experience as well as study are essential to becoming a successful geriatrician. Here are some important steps you need to remember to become an established geriatrician:

• Earn Your Bachelor’s Degree
• Graduate with great marks from a medical school 
• Earn your license 
• Focus on Board and Educational Certification 

Also Read: How to Become a Doctor 

What are the Responsibilities of a Geriatrician?

The primary responsibility of the people pursuing higher education in geriatrics will be to manage as well as treat the physical health conditions of older patients. As older patients are more vulnerable to falls and numerous physical health problems, geriatricians need to take proper care of them so that the situation can’t go any worse. 

Geriatricians need to work on specifics that will aid more than just physical health conditions. Apart from treating incontinence, these medical professionals will also treat mobility issues, frailty, and nutrition issues. They will also provide medical assistance to older people. Here are some important skills you need to have a successful geriatrician:

• Communication skills 
• Kindness 
• Empathy 
• Critical thinking skills 

Also Read: Skills You Can Gain from Studying Abroad

Top Universities That Offer Major in Gerontology 

If you have plans to complete your higher education in geriatrics, you need to make sure you’re choosing the top universities in the world. This way you can boost your knowledge as well as your overall employability. Here are the top universities you can choose to pursue gerontology courses:

University Name	Country	Fees
University of Southern California	USA	USD 64,000 (INR 52 Lakh)
University of South Florida	USA	USD 17,000 (INR 14 Lakh)
University of Mississippi	USA	USD 26,000 (INR 21 Lakh)
University of Nottingham	UK	–
University of Southampton	UK	–

Admission Process for Geriatric Courses 

This is one of the most things you need to keep in mind. The admission process will have a solid impact on your overall eligibility. If you have plans to pursue your higher education courses in geriatrics from reputed universities around the world, you need to pay close attention to the admission process. 

Also Read: MBBS from Abroad 

Eligibility Criteria 

The eligibility criteria for pursuing a degree in geriatrics will also depend on the college you’re choosing. Here are some important things you need to know:

• The candidates should have an undergraduate degree in MBBS from a university that has MCI recognition. 
• The candidates should possess a compulsory rotating internship from a teaching institution that has MCI recognition. 
• The candidates should clear the cut-off marks. 

Application Process 

This is another important aspect you need to keep in mind if you’re planning to pursue higher education in geriatrics. Depending on the university, the application process might get overwhelming. This is where the professionals from Leverage Edu will help you. It’s important to complete the application process without any mistakes. Here are crucial things to consider:

1. Call us and we will help you shortlist your universities. But you need to submit your application to multiple universities to broaden your chances of getting selected. 
2. Compile all essential documents. Try not to make mistakes while submitting the documents. 
3. Submit the application before the deadlines and start the application process for accommodation, students visa, and scholarships/student loans.
4. Accept the offer letter
5. Don’t forget to get your visa approved. 

Required Documents 

The essential documents that you need to submit while planning to pursue your higher education in geriatrics are:

• Class 12th and 12th mark sheet
• Transfer certificate
• Proof of DOB
• Character certificate 
• Migration certificate
• Passport 
• Visa 
• Bank statement 

Top Indian Colleges That Offer Gerontology Courses

The top colleges in India that offer gerontology courses to students are:

• Institute of Home Economics, Delhi
• National Institute of Social Defence, Delhi 
• TISS, Mumbai
• Indian Institute of Counselling, Delhi 
• Ramnarain Ruia College, Mumbai

Job Prospects and Salaries 

This is the most important thing you want to know. When you complete your higher education in geriatrics from a reputed university, you will be able to stand apart from the crowd. After completing your course, you will be able to find jobs in both private as well as government sectors. 

Best Job Designations 

Here are the best jobs you can get when you complete your education in geriatrics properly:

• Geriatrician 
• Geriatric Nurse Practitioner
• Geriatric Pharmacist 
• Geriatric Physician Assistant
• Geriatric Social Worker 

Salaries As Per Country 

Here is the salary structure of a geriatrician as per the country:

Country	Salary/Year
UK	GBP 31,000 (INR 31 Lakh)
USA	USD 93,000 (INR 71 Lakh)
Canada	CAD 97,000 (INR 60 Lakh)
Australia	AUD 130,000 (INR 74 Lakh)
India	INR 22 Lakh

FAQs

Hope this guide helped you to know about how to become a Gerontologist. Since admission to top universities is highly competitive, you’ll need to submit an application that is immaculate in addition to having strong academics. You may enlist the assistance of Leverage Edu specialists to assist you with the application process so that you can realise your goals. Call us immediately at 1800 57 2000 for a free 30-minute counselling session.