Working in pediatrics or geriatrics?

Pediatrics is the branch of medicine that deals with treating children. Geriatrics is the branch of medicine that deals with treating the elderly. Both age groups have very specific needs that differ from treatments of typical adults.

Peds is a popular specialty because by and large, people love children. Geriatrics is not nearly so glamorous because a lot of people fear aging and death.

However, I have long believed that people should practice medicine where they are needed.

There are plenty of pediatricians. My boss is one. I know of many others, including a few friends in peds residencies.

However, despite our rapidly aging population, there is a shortage of geriatricians and gerontologists. I have never personally met anyone in this field, and I work in health care!

If you are looking to pursue a specialty, I hope you are altruistic enough to consider a career in geriatrics and gerontology (there is a difference).

Geriatricians treat the elderly, and they have to deal with issues like waning immune systems, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, Alzheimers and the overal physical deterioration that comes with aging. It takes a lot of patience and a lot of heart to do all of those things and still treat your patients with the care and dignity they deserve.

Gerontologists study the process of aging. A lot of it is research-oriented, and includes things like cancer research, Alzheimers Disease studies, etc. There is a LOT of money in this field because the population is living longer, and the baby-boomers are fast coming into retirement. The expanding population of pensioners will require new drug therapies to sustain and maintain their lives and lifestyles (Bob Dole on Viagra!).