# A Novel, Multi-Institutional Geriatrics Assessment Identifies Knowledge Gaps in Health Professions Trainees

## TL;DR

A new assessment tool for geriatrics knowledge in medical students reveals significant gaps despite high self-reported preparedness.

## Contribution

The development and pilot of the AF-KAT, a standardized geriatrics knowledge assessment for clinical trainees.

## Key findings

- Only 25% of students reached a 70% passing threshold on the AF-KAT.
- Curricular exposure and understanding of age-friendly systems significantly predicted performance.
- Negative attitudes toward older people correlated with worse assessment performance.

## Abstract

Medical students are expected to care for older people shortly after graduation, yet there are no standardized assessments of geriatrics knowledge. We describe the development and multi-site pilot of the Age-Friendly Knowledge Assessment Tool (AF-KAT), a new assessment evaluating Geriatrics knowledge in clinical trainees. The AF-KAT is a 20-item, case-based multiple-choice questionnaire written by Geriatrics experts and reviewed by general internists and professional editorial staff, including several rounds of peer-review for psychometric and content validity. The AF-KAT questions address the Geriatrics 5M’s and were mapped to updated Geriatrics competencies for medical students and residents. In the first at-scale deployment of this tool, we describe findings from the assessment of 275 graduating medical students across four medical schools (University of Washington, UTHealth Houston, Stanford, and Harvard). Participants self-reported their Geriatrics exposure, attitudes towards aging, and perceived sufficiency of training and completed the AF-KAT. Despite high self-reported preparedness, the mean proficiency score was 60%. Only 25% of students reached a “passing” threshold of 70%. Linear modeling revealed that more curricular exposure (β = 0.37*) and greater understanding of age-friendly systems (β = 0.55*) significantly predicted performance. Negative attitudes toward older people correlated with worse performance (r = -0.20***). This case highlights the feasibility and diagnostic value of using the AF-KAT as an individual-level and program-level assessment tool, with potential uses across health professions trainees. Results underscore the need for a universal and competency-based approach to Geriatrics education, to ensure new physicians are equipped to deliver competent, age-friendly care in an aging society.

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Source: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12763624