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Geriatricians

Experience, Skills, and Personality Traits

There is no way to obtain direct experience in high school, but it's a good idea to take as many health and science classes as possible and participate in science clubs. During your medical training, you will gain experience by completing a residency in internal medicine and a fellowship in geriatric care.

The career of a geriatrician is both intellectually and emotionally demanding. A good geriatrician needs to be able to effectively manage all aspects of a patient's problems, including social and emotional issues. Creative problem-solving skills are an asset. Geriatricians must have a general interest in aging and the problems related to growing older. They should be effective communicators and listeners and be able to work well as members of a team. And, like any doctor, geriatricians must be committed to lifelong learning, because new advances in medicine occur continuously.

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