National project for excellence in geriatric care education—A comprehensive, innovative and practical program for undergraduate and graduate students in Taiwan

Taiwan has been experiencing a rapid increase in the aging population. A comprehensive and practical education program on geriatric care for learners of different levels is fundamental to preparing future professionals to provide quality care for the elderly. With financial aid from the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Interior and National Department of Health, Chung Shan Medical University (CSMU) was able to establish a National Project for Excellence in Geriatric Care Education (NPEGCE). The Project focuses on enhancing the academic and practical experiences of learners at both undergraduate and graduate levels in understanding and working with the elderly. The philosophy underlying the curriculum design is “LOVE”, combining the spirit of “life, obligation, vitality, and expertise”. The NPEGCE provides students with core and elective courses across disciplines pertinent to the study of gerontology and geriatrics with class structures emphasizing problem-based small group discussion. The features of the NPEGCE are: (1) to enhance students’ competence for their future careers; (2) to emphasize research ability in gerontology; (3) to launch a faculty team on geriatric education; (4) to construct a model of evaluation on geriatric care education; (5) to facilitate cross-field interaction and collaboration among academia, enterprise and governmental organizations; and (6) to promote opportunities for international academic and practical cooperation. The NPEGCE is the first comprehensive geriatric education program in Taiwan that offers competence certificates to students from different disciplines at undergraduate and graduate levels. So far, we have more than 30 faculty members and some 30 preceptors engaged in the work of teaching, practicum and research. We have successfully recruited 355 undergraduate and 45 graduate students since the inception of the NPEGCE in January 2007. For sustained development, the Center for Education and Research on Geriatrics and Gerontology, a permanent institute within CSMU, was established in January 2009 to run and promote the NPEGCE as well as its research on aging in central Taiwan.