It is our hope that osteopathic medical educators will review their curricular models in light of the recommendations made by the AGS in
Areas of Basic Competency for the Care of Older Patients for Medical and Osteopathic Schools20 and the more recent—and uniquely osteopathic—“Geriatrics curricula for undergraduate medical education in osteopathic medicine.”
4 This latter document paves the way for skill development in geriatrics as well as the provision of comprehensive geriatric care for an aging society through the osteopathic primary care model. Using these tools as a guide in curricular analysis and development will allow the nation's COMs to ensure that osteopathic primary care physicians are fully prepared to provide high-quality healthcare as the silver tsunami approaches. Regardless of their future choices with regard to medical specialty, our students need to learn about and gain experience in the full continuum of patient care.
In addition, these resources will prove useful to osteopathic medical educators should their institutions opt to pursue a POM designation from the AGHE. A nationally recognized, high-quality geriatrics curriculum would be an asset and a “feather in the cap” of the entire osteopathic medical community.
We thank Bruce P. Bates, DO; Wayne R. Carlsen, DO; Thomas A. Cavalieri, DO; Janice A. Knebl, DO, MBA; Donald Robert Noll, DO; and Shirley A. Weaver, PhD, for their contributions on the Osteopathic Geriatrics Curriculum Review Panel. In addition, we acknowledge Linda R. Heun, PhD, for her tirelessly collaborative efforts; Derek D. Stepp for his support and counsel; and Susan E. Moreland for her support and recommendations.