Beyond the biomedical: an evaluation of the introduction of social gerontology into a postgraduate geriatric medicine education program

AimWe describe the design, delivery, and evaluation of a Social Gerontology education programme for Geriatric Medicine trainees in the North-West of England.FindingsTrainees described enjoying the sessions, gaining novel insights into social problems, and how their practice changed as a result.MessageAt a time of increasing population diversity and inequalities in later life, we argue for an increased focus on Social Gerontology in Geriatric Medicine education. Geriatric Medicine education tends to adopt a biomedical lens, despite the practice of Geriatric Medicine involving the comprehensive assessment of the functional, psychological, and social aspects of older people's lives. In this commentary, we describe the delivery of a Social Gerontology education program for Geriatric Medicine trainees in the Northwest of England. Education in Social Gerontology-a field that focuses on how social, cultural, economic, and environmental factors shape the lives of older adults-is thought to mitigate against ageism, a pervasive and multifaceted form of discrimination. We describe the rationale for, and context of, the program delivery, before presenting an overview of trainee's feedback. Thematic analysis of feedback centered around three main themes: knowledge acquisition, change in clinical practice, and enjoyment of the sessions. Trainees (n = 20) reported enjoying the sessions, with 100% likely to recommend to peers. The focus on underserved groups, the novel content of the sessions, which were not taught elsewhere, and the non-medical perspective of the speakers were described as particularly valuable. By sharing our approach and reflecting on the early success of the program, we argue for an increased focus on Social Gerontology in Geriatric Medicine education.