Why young doctors are not choosing geriatrics
As Latvia's population ages, the need for geriatricians will grow, but in recent years no young doctor has entered this specialty.
Latvia's society is getting older, and life expectancy is rising, which means that in the future more doctors will be needed to provide comprehensive treatment for elderly patients. Geriatricians are specialists who focus on the overall care of older people. However, despite this growing demand, geriatrics has failed to attract a single new doctor in recent years, according to Latvian Radio.
The public broadcaster interviewed Zane Mētra, a young doctor who has chosen this field. She says she appreciates the relaxed, informal atmosphere and the chance to have proper conversations with her patients. The report also highlights the reaction quoted in its title: “Oh, you went into geriatrics?” — illustrating the kind of surprised attitude that young specialists may encounter when making this career choice.
Although geriatricians may become increasingly important as the population ages, the specialty is not yet popular among young medical graduates. How to change this and attract new doctors to geriatrics remains an open question for Latvia's health care system.
