This transcript has been edited for clarity.
Robert D. Glatter, MD: Welcome. I'm Dr Robert Glatter, medical advisor for Medscape Emergency Medicine. Joining me today is Sandeep Jauhar, a practicing cardiologist and professor of medicine at Northwell Health, a frequent New York Times op-ed contributor, and highly regarded author of the upcoming book My Father's Brain: Life in the Shadow of Alzheimer's.
We are here today to discuss the rationale for age competency exams for practicing physicians.
Sandeep Jauhar, MD: Thanks for having me.
Glatter: Your recent op-ed piece in The New York Times caught my eye. In your piece, you refer to a 2020 survey in which almost one third of licensed doctors in the United States were 60 years of age or older, up from a quarter in 2010. You also state that, due to a 20% prevalence of mild cognitive impairment in persons older than 65, practicing physicians above this age should probably be screened by a battery of tests to ensure that their reasoning and cognitive abilities are intact. The title of the article is "How Would You Feel About a 100-Year- Old Doctor?"
How would you envision such a process? What aspects of day-to-day functioning would the exams truly be evaluating?
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COMMENTARY
Age Competency Exams for Physicians -- Yes or No?
Robert Glatter, MD; Sandeep Jauhar, MD
DisclosuresJanuary 10, 2023
This transcript has been edited for clarity.
Robert D. Glatter, MD: Welcome. I'm Dr Robert Glatter, medical advisor for Medscape Emergency Medicine. Joining me today is Sandeep Jauhar, a practicing cardiologist and professor of medicine at Northwell Health, a frequent New York Times op-ed contributor, and highly regarded author of the upcoming book My Father's Brain: Life in the Shadow of Alzheimer's.
We are here today to discuss the rationale for age competency exams for practicing physicians.
Sandeep Jauhar, MD: Thanks for having me.
Glatter: Your recent op-ed piece in The New York Times caught my eye. In your piece, you refer to a 2020 survey in which almost one third of licensed doctors in the United States were 60 years of age or older, up from a quarter in 2010. You also state that, due to a 20% prevalence of mild cognitive impairment in persons older than 65, practicing physicians above this age should probably be screened by a battery of tests to ensure that their reasoning and cognitive abilities are intact. The title of the article is "How Would You Feel About a 100-Year- Old Doctor?"
How would you envision such a process? What aspects of day-to-day functioning would the exams truly be evaluating?
Medscape Emergency Medicine © 2023 WebMD, LLC
Any views expressed above are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect the views of WebMD or Medscape.
Cite this: Age Competency Exams for Physicians -- Yes or No? - Medscape - Jan 10, 2023.
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Authors and Disclosures
Authors and Disclosures
Authors
Robert Glatter, MD
Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine, Department of Emergency Medicine, Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, New York, NY
Disclosure: Robert Glatter, MD, has disclosed no relevant financial relationships.
Sandeep Jauhar, MD, PhD
Director, Heart Failure Program, Long Island Jewish Medical Center, New Hyde Park, New York
Disclosure: Sandeep Jauhar, MD, PhD, has disclosed no relevant financial relationships.