Clinical Geropsychology Training in Generalist Doctoral Programs

While a relatively small number of clinical psychology graduate programs offer specialized tracks in clinical geropsychology, the need for psychologists trained to work with older adults is increasing. This paper presents a model of training that could be adopted by generalist training programs to better prepare their students to work with older adults without creating a specialty program in geropsychology. The model identifies key domains of knowledge that should be covered, emphasizes service learning as a key element of training, provides a list of resources for faculty desiring to develop a geropsychology course, and suggests ways to overcome barriers that may prevent the implementation of the model. (C) 2005 by The Haworth Press, Inc. All rights reserved.