Geriatrics

Company
Universitair Centrum Ouderengeneeskunde, Universitair Medisch Centrum Groningen
Type
Specialismen
Location
Groningen
Sector
Studenten
Required language
English
Website
https://www.umcg.nl/NL/UMCG/Afdelingen/ouderengeneeskunde/Paginas/default.aspx

Description

General department information
Due to this being the career website of Panacaea, we would like to provide you with some clarifying information: if you are interested in working with fragile elderly patients, there are various possibilities. The field of geriatrics consists of internists with a special focus on geriatrics, clinical geriatricians and geriatric specialists.

The first two careers consists of medical specializations in a medical center, while the latter usually works in a nursing home or elsewhere in 1st line medical care.

The Netherlands is aging. A larger percentage of the population grows old and the average age of the elderly continues to increase. In addition to this, elderly patients tend to suffer from two or more chronic diseases. The necessity for elderly care therefore continues to increase and the care question becomes increasingly complex, making standard care and treatments insufficient. Many times these elderly patients become trapped in a healthcare system focused solely on the treatment of diseases. 

The geriatric internist focusses on elderly patients with one or more physical illnesses in addition to possible mental, cognitive and/or social problems. These patients benefit from an integral multidisciplinary approach in which their wellbeing is a key component.

Reocurring problems that the geriatric internist comes in contact with:
- A combination of chronic illnesses that interfere with balance
- Inexplicable deterioration in daily functioning
- Polypharmaceutical evaluation
- Delirium
- Mobility issues and/or falling
- Memory impairments or dementia
- A combination of mooddisorders / life-phase problems

We work primarily polyclinically or consultative, since fragile elderly patients are present in many of our hospital departments. The admitted patients however, are particularly referred to department E3.

An overview of the offer for students
The University Centrum of Geriatrics provides the following possibilities for interested students:
- to accompany a polyclinic or policlinician in order to get an idea of our practices and procedures
- conducting or assisting in scientific research due to interest or as part of your study program (an individual project or an M3 scientific internship). There are various possibilities. An overview of the projects is available on the site of the university, or you can send an email addressed to Prof. Dr. de Rooij through our office representative (m.w.tjeerde@umcg.nl).
- M3-semiarts internship. In addition to the possibilities offered by the University Centrum of Geriatrics, the university site also offers clinical geriatric internships.

More information regarding the semiarts internal Geriatrics intership of the UMCG can be found here.