The Undifferentiated Medical Student Ep 041 - Geriatric Medicine with Dr. Porter
Jun 2, 2017
Dr. Brett Porter, a board-certified geriatrician focused on dementia, end-of-life planning, and reducing polypharmacy. He talks about what geriatrics looks like in clinic and hospital settings. He explores complex problem-solving for older adults, dementia care pathways, workforce shortages, and balancing a busy career with an outdoor lifestyle.
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Resuscitation Without Wishes Motivated End Of Life Focus
- Porter recounts a 92-year-old World War II veteran who received aggressive inpatient care without documented wishes.
- That experience motivated him to prioritize end-of-life conversations and preserve dignity for elderly patients.
Decide Where You Want To Live First
- If undecided, prioritize geography when choosing a specialty because where you want to live constrains future job markets.
- Porter stresses geriatrics is highly portable: jobs exist in big cities, small towns, rural areas and even internationally.
Geriatrics Has High Demand And Flexibility
- Geriatrics offers strong academic and private career options because systems need geriatric expertise despite low supply.
- Fellowships frequently have openings and many hospitals will create positions to include geriatrics in their networks.