Download European Academy for Medicine of Ageing: a

Age and Ageing 1998; 27: 93-94
SPECIAL ARTICLE
European Academy for Medicine of
Ageing: a new network for geriatricians
in Europe
HARALD J. J. VERHAAR, CLEMENS BECKER1, OTTO I. J. LJNDBERG2
Department of Geriatrics, University Hospital Utrecht RO. Box 85500, 3508 GA Utrecht The Netherlands
1
Geriatrisches Zentrum, Ulm/Alb-Donau, Eberharcttstrasse 91, 89073 Ulm, Germany
2
HUCH Clinical Research Institute, Tokholmankatu 8 F, FIN-00290 Helsinki, Finland
Address correspondence to: H. J. J. Verhaar. Fax (+31) 30 2544397. E-mail: [email protected]
Introduction
In August 1996, the first members of the European
Academy for Medicine of Ageing (EAMA) "were
appointed after successfully completing the first
advanced postgraduate course for doctors working in
medical gerontology. The target group was heterogeneous and included clinicians, researchers, teachers
and junior staff with academic potential. The idea for
the EAMA was originally created by the Group of
European Professors in Medical Gerontology in 1992
[!]•
The aim was to offer an interactive training
programme to update knowledge, to train teaching
skills, to formulate new research ideas and to create an
international network [2]. The programme of the
course was produced by the Scientific Committee of
the group, consisting of nine European professors of
medical gerontology (E. Beregi, Budapest University;
G. Crepaldi, Padova University; S. A. Duursma, Utrecht
University; J.-P Emeriau, Bordeaux University; J. Grimley
Evans, Oxford University, UK, J.-P. Michel, Geneva
University; A. Ruiz Torres, Madrid University; H. B.
Stahelin, Basle University; B. Steen, Goteborg University).
The World Health Organisation, the International
Institute of Ageing of United Nations, the International
Association of Gerontology and the International
Association of Psychogeriatrics supported the initiative
of the EAMA.
Course structure
The 2-year postgraduate courses consisted of four
training sessions, each lasting 1 week. The curriculum
included the following main topics:
1. Infection, nutrition and immunity in ageing: from
molecular biology to clinical management.
2. Mobility disorders: assessment, scientific basis and
outcome of rehabilitation.
3. The ageing brain and related disorders: from the
scientific basis to the social response.
4. Circulation and ageing: fundamental aspects, prevention and treatment.
The topics were covered by state-of-the-art lectures
by expert presenters. Each of the four sessions dealt
with topics ranging from molecular to clinical functional level, thereby achieving an overview in the
broadest sense. Basic scientists as well as clinicians
were involved in an interactive teaching programme.
As part of the course the participants also prepared and
presented lectures on central aspects of geriatric
medicine. They also presented their own research in
the form of posters.
About one-third of the course was dedicated to
group discussions on relevant clinical topics. Each
participant in turn was given the opportunity to lead
the discussion and to summarize the results to a forum
of teachers and students. The discussions on topics in
medical ethics were particularly fascinating and illustrated the differences in perception between northern
and southern, and between western and eastern
European countries. All presentations were evaluated
by fellow students and by the teachers on overall quality,
scientific message, take-home message, technique of
presentation and participation in the debate.
After completing four training sessions, each participant was issued with a certificate which also accorded
membership of the EAMA. As participants in the first
course, we feel that the EAMA is an unique initiative
and a valuable addition to the national and regional
networks and conferences. In the field of medical
gerontology there is a need for international exchange
[3] and the EAMA also offers this opportunity
to colleagues from European countries with less
93
H. J. j . Verhaar et al.
developed geriatric infrastructure. For junior geriatric
staff with academic interests, the forum facilitates
contacts with many eminent centres for geriatric
research. It also facilitates the establishment of new
research programmes over the national boundaries.
Future courses
The postgraduate training courses will be continued to
further enhance the standard of European medical
gerontology. The first two sessions of EAMA's second
postgraduate course have been held at the academy in
Sion (Switzerland) on the topics of 'Cellular metabolism during ageing' and 'Challenge of long-term care'.
We hope that many colleagues, from every European
country, will benefit from future EAMA courses, and
that they will also participate in the building of a
network for collaboration and the exchange of ideas in
the field of medical gerontology.
For information on costs and enrolment on these
postgraduate courses, contact EAMA c/o KB, P.O. Box
4176, CH-1950 Sion 4, Switzerland. Fax (+41) 27 203
7384. E-mail [email protected]
94
Acknowledgements
We would like to express our gratitude to the 1KB
Foundation (Sion, Switzerland) and to the Scientific
Committee of the GEPMG for organising this postgraduate training course. We would like to thank the
Sandoz Foundation for Gerontological Research and
Merck Sharp & Dohme for their financial support.
References
1. Stahelin HB, Beregi E, Duursma S et al Teaching medical
gerontology in Europe. Group of European Professors in
Medical Gerontology (GEPMG). Age Ageing 1994; 23: 17981.
2. Grimley Evans J. Geriatrics in a new Europe. Age Ageing
1994; 23: 177-8.
3. Pahor M. News around the world: more timely information on aging for professionals. J Am Geriatr Soc 1996; 44:
1260.
Received 13 June 1997
Accepted 31 October 1997