Sharing Our GEMS (Geriatrics Evaluation and Management Skills) in a Virtual Environment: Creating Confident Student Teams

The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated health disparities in certain populations, specifically where there are barriers created by technology or increased risk of exposure to the virus. Health inequity is most evident in the geriatric population where a combination of chronic disease, an inability to quickly assimilate the nuances of telemedicine, and social isolation have created measurable declines in functional status in many older patients.Four health universities in the Houston area saw this as an opportunity to train an interprofessional (IP) geriatrics workforce to provide team-based care and provide student learners with increased confidence and knowledge in this area. We created an innovative, clinical geriatrics experience which was delivered virtually and evaluated its impact on self-rated competence at IP practice and geriatrics evaluation and management skills (GEMS).In fall 2020, medical, nursing, and social work students (n=257, 135 nursing, 92 medical, 30 social work) participated in an online flipped classroom for training on geriatric assessment and care transitions. Video resources were presented, and students were placed into small groups of 6-8 students for case-based learning. Peer teaching from subject specialization was encouraged through the design of the questions. Afterwards, students participated in a synchronous debrief with faculty mentors. Students completed surveys before and after activities and rated their skills: ability to participate in geriatric IP team meetings, provide care for older adults with complex issues, identify new issues, and to identify staff with geriatrics expertise. Students also completed the Interprofessional Collaborative Competency Attainment Scale-Revised (ICCAS-R; 20 items; Likert 1=poor,5=excellent, 1 transitional item). Confidence in ability significantly increased for all IP geriatric skills. Across all ICCAS items, mean rating of ability for IP skills improved post-intervention (3.2 vs. 4.0, p < .001). Overall, 84% of students rated their ability to collaborate interprofessionally as somewhat or much better after the activity.