What Kind of Skills and Education Background are Required for a Successful Gerontology Career?

Gerontology is a broad medical field that focuses on the study of aging and the treatment of aging individuals. Within this space, there are a wide variety of professional paths that one can pursue.

Those interested in pursuing a medical career in gerontology can benefit from gaining familiarity with some of the various professional avenues they can pursue. In addition, it’s crucial to gain insight into what type of skills and education are required to step into these roles.

Here are the kinds of skills and educational background that are required for a successful gerontology career.

Geriatric Physician

Those interested in becoming doctors and aiding older adults in their journey of aging can find the perfect balance in the geriatric physician role. Essentially, these professionals are doctors who specialize in treating older adults.

While many of the duties of these physicians reflect those of other doctors, they can differ in keyways. Specifically, geriatric physicians have a deep knowledge of age-related ailments and in-depth experience treating these illnesses.

In terms of skills, these professionals need to be patient, empathetic, and detail oriented. Beyond merely treating older adult patients, geriatric physicians must also manage the emotions of their patients and their families. In addition, these doctors must be able to catch ailments before they become too severe or possibly even incurable.

When it comes to education, the road to this career can be long. To begin, one will have to earn a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution. This can be in biology, pre-med, or a closely related field.

Next, one will have to attend and graduate from medical school. After these steps are completed, aspiring geriatric physicians will have to undergo a residency program, become licensed, and attend a geriatrics-specific fellowship program.

Geriatric Nurse

For individuals wanting to pursue a career in nursing, whether as a first professional job or a second career, becoming a geriatric nurse is an amazing option. These specialized medical professionals typically work closely with geriatric physicians and treat a variety of older adult patients.

In addition to working with doctors, geriatric nurses also typically collaborate with other professionals such as social workers and therapists. Ultimately, nurses engage in these acts of collaboration with other professionals to ensure that their older adult patients are both physically and mentally healthy.

In terms of skills that geriatric nurses need in order to thrive, many reflect those needed to be a great geriatric physician, such as patience. In addition, geriatric nurses must have great communication and interpersonal skills so they can relay key advice to patients and their families, collaborate with other medical professionals, and assess patients effectively.

To become a geriatric nurse, one will begin one’s educational journey in a nursing program. This can either be an associate’s degree program or a bachelor’s degree program based on one’s unique personal preferences, career goals, and time constraints. After a nursing degree has been obtained, one will have to pass the NCLEX exam to become licensed as a registered nurse.

Technically, having a nursing degree and RN licensure is enough to qualify one for a geriatric nurse role. However, employers may be hesitant to hire new nurses without a previous working background in gerontology for geriatric nursing roles.

For this reason, many aspiring geriatric nurses will further pursue their education and obtain special gerontology-focused merits. These can include specialized certifications or even a master’s degree that focuses on geriatric nursing. Ultimately, qualifications will make it easier for aspiring geriatric nurses to land their first role and begin their fulfilling careers.

Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner

Nurse practitioners are advanced nurses who assess patients and treat them for a variety of ailments. Depending on the state in which they’re working, nurse practitioners have varying levels of autonomy, with some even providing patients with primary care similar to that of a physician.

Adult gerontology nurse practitioners are nurse practitioners who specialize in treating older adults in their practice. In a time in which there is a shortage of doctors and a steadily increasing elderly population, many believe that these skilled professionals will play a key role in solving the problem.

When it comes to necessary skills, adult gerontology nurses must be detail-oriented, great communicators, and patient professionals. Much like geriatric physicians and nurses, adult gerontology nurse practitioners must collaborate with a wide variety of medical professionals to complete their professional duties.

In terms of education, aspiring adult gerontology nurse practitioners will begin by obtaining a bachelor’s degree in nursing and gaining RN licensure. Oftentimes, nurses will then work as registered nurses for several years to gain key clinical experience.

After becoming licensed and gaining experience, aspiring nurse practitioners will have to obtain a Doctor of Nursing practice degree. Those keen on specializing in gerontology will pursue a program that focuses on this field.

Gerontology is an Amazing Field for Aspiring Medical Professionals

While the medical field offers young professionals a wide variety of career options, the gerontology field abounds in particularly fulfilling roles. From becoming a geriatric physician to becoming an adult gerontology nurse practitioner, many paths in this field allow one to leave a beneficial mark on people’s lives.

As time goes on and more professionals enter the medical field, it’s more than likely that this field will increasingly be sought out by aspiring medical professionals.