Geriatrician

What this life looks like

Africa is ageing. The number of Africans over 60 is projected to triple by 2050, from approximately 75 million today to over 220 million. This demographic transformation is creating a healthcare challenge that the continent is entirely unprepared for. As a Geriatrician you are the physician who specialises in the health of older adults – managing the complex, multiple conditions that commonly affect people as they age, including dementia, heart failure, diabetes, falls, frailty, and the particular challenges of prescribing for patients who may be taking many medications simultaneously. Geriatrics is a specialty that combines medical complexity with deep humanity – your patients often have multiple conditions and limited time, and your goal is not just to treat illness but to maintain their dignity, independence, and quality of life. Africa currently has almost no geriatricians, yet the need for this specialty is growing rapidly. The physicians who choose geriatrics now are building a specialty almost from scratch.

What she actually does

A Geriatrician manages the complex medical conditions of older adults, conducts comprehensive geriatric assessments evaluating medical, functional, cognitive, and social needs, manages polypharmacy to reduce medication harm, treats dementia, delirium, and cognitive impairment, manages falls prevention programmes, provides palliative and end-of-life care, coordinates multidisciplinary teams including nursing, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, and social work, and advocates for older patients in healthcare systems not designed for them.

Where you can work

Why it matters in Africa

Most African health systems were designed to manage acute infectious disease in young populations – they are not equipped to manage the chronic, complex, multi-system conditions of older adults. Dementia alone will affect millions of Africans within the next generation, yet the continent has almost no dementia care infrastructure. Older Africans, particularly women, are among the most socially and economically vulnerable members of society, often without pension income or formal social protection. Geriatricians who understand these realities and who can advocate for older patients are building a new dimension of healthcare justice in Africa.

Your pathway in

Biology, Chemistry, and Mathematics at secondary school. Then MBBS or MBChB over five to six years, followed by housemanship. Internal medicine residency then subspecialty fellowship in geriatrics through the West African College of Physicians or equivalent body follows. Geriatrics is still a relatively new specialty in Africa and opportunities include helping to establish training programmes where they do not yet exist.

Skills you will need

Technical: Comprehensive geriatric assessment, polypharmacy management, dementia diagnosis and management, falls risk assessment, frailty assessment, and palliative care. Human: Extraordinary patience and empathy for patients who may be confused, frightened, or facing the end of their lives, strong communication with families making difficult decisions, the ability to coordinate complex care across multiple specialties and social services, and respect for the dignity and autonomy of older patients. Digital tools: Geriatric assessment tools, cognitive screening instruments, electronic prescribing systems with drug interaction checking, and care coordination platforms.

A woman in this field

Take your first step

Careers close to this one

• General Practitioner
• Neurologist
• Cardiologist
• Physiotherapist
• Occupational Therapist
• Palliative Care Specialist
• Social Worker
• Psychiatrist