A refresh of the original set first published more than a decade ago, the 27 competencies integrate new concepts that have emerged more recently in the field of geriatrics, including frailty and person-centered care, and are framed around five key areas of focus for all geriatrics healthcare professionals. Clinical educators in medical schools are rapidly adopting the 5Ms as a framework for teaching medical students the skills, knowledge, and abilities they should have to provide high-quality clinical care for older adults.
In the updated competencies set, each of the Ms contains new or modified competencies. Of particular note, multicomplexity, which describes the person who benefits most from geriatrics care, includes guidance on integrating a health equity lens into the practice of medicine.
Lundebjerg, MPA, said. Schwartz, MD, and Mandi Sehgal, MD, updated the 26 original competencies using a modified Delphi method to reach a group consensus based on expert and stakeholder input and a literature review. Having presented their work at the AGS Virtual Annual Scientific Meeting, the team is currently working on a paper describing their methodology and key qualitative findings from their research.
The updated competencies are now available on the AGS website here. Moving forward, the AGS will continue to advocate that undergraduate medical education prepares graduating physicians to care for us all as we age. AGS is also developing educational tools to help educators to integrate attention to the new competencies into their programs.
About the American Geriatrics Society Founded in , the American Geriatrics Society AGS is a nationwide, not-for-profit society of geriatrics healthcare professionals that hasβfor more than 75 yearsβworked to improve the health, independence, and quality of life of older people.
