Mapping Geriatric Medicine education in Portuguese medical schools.

Abstract

Purpose: Portugal is one of the most rapidly aging countries in Europe, highlighting the need for adequate undergraduate training in the care of older adults. However, Geriatric Medicine (GM) teaching in Portugal remains heterogeneous, and its alignment with the European Union of Medical Specialists (UEMS) undergraduate recommendations is unclear. We aim to map current GM education practices across Portuguese medical schools and to provide a national overview to support future curricular improvements.

Methods: A descriptive observational study was conducted using an online structured questionnaire sent to the presidents of the pedagogical councils of all 11 Portuguese schools. The survey assessed the presence and characteristics of geriatrics teaching, including dedicated courses, mandatory or elective, and geriatrics content integrated into other curricular units, in accordance with the UEMS undergraduate framework.

Results: Responses were obtained from 9 out of the 11 Portuguese medical schools. Five schools reported offering a mandatory geriatrics course, three as standalone courses, with European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System credits ranging from 1 to 8 (~ 28-224 h of estimated total student workload). Four schools reported offering an elective geriatrics course. Although most UEMS-recommended topics were addressed in schools with mandatory courses, several areas-including fecal incontinence, sexuality, palliative care, ethical and legal issues, and older people abuse-were inconsistently covered.

Conclusion: GM teaching in Portugal remains uneven, with mandatory training present in only half of the medical schools and limited practical exposure. These findings highlight a gap between undergraduate medical education and the needs of future physicians caring for an aging population, supporting the need for curricular strengthening and greater national harmonization.