II level Master in Perioperative Medicine of the Elderly
The University of the Republic of San Marino, in collaboration with the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, establishes the second level Master's degree in Perioperative Medicine of the Elderly
The ongoing demographic evolution and the parallel expansion of the population sector represented by subjects over sixty-five have led to a growing need for geriatric training in various sectors of medicine.
This is testified by the continuous multiplication of initiatives such as congresses, refresher courses or the birth of Scientific Societies.
Among the specialist areas that have expanded the most in recent years is that of Geriatric Surgery. In this field, surgeons and anesthesiologists collaborate, sometimes assisted by geriatricians. Surgeons and anesthesiologists need geriatric knowledge, while geriatricians need knowledge in perioperative medicine.
The Master is open to all these professionals and aims to achieve highly qualifying training objectives, such as:
- prevention and reduction of postoperative complications, with reduction of the length of hospital stay, improvement of the outcome and increased patient satisfaction
- reduction of associated costs, both in terms of hospital care and post-discharge care, also through a reduced use of post-acute care areas and institutionalization
- formation and consolidation of a team culture, precisely in the geriatric field which has always been characterized by a multidimensional and holistic approach
RECIPIENTS
Title required:
- Degree in medicine and surgery
- Master's Degree in Nursing Sciences
OBJECTIVES
Provide basic specialist training in Perioperative Medicine, in line with that provided in universities in the most advanced countries, with specific reference to the elderly patient, who currently makes up over 40% of the global surgical population.
In particular, the Master provides:
- basic knowledge of geriatric medicine (aging processes, impact of aging on health systems, epidemiological overview, multidimensional assessment, functional status, frailty, falls, comorbidities, polypathology, polytherapy, principles of medication reconciliation)
- specific knowledge on the elderly patient candidate for surgery: elements for a decision-making focused on the person (which intervention for that pathology, in relation to that given patient); preoperative evaluation; information, communication and informed consent, with a focus on the needs of the cognitively impaired patient; preparation for surgery)
- advanced knowledge on the intraoperative phase: endocrine-metabolic reaction to surgery in the elderly organism; safety in the Operating Room; anesthesia techniques; surgical techniques; Postoperative triage and choice of the most suitable site for postoperative treatment
- specific knowledge of postoperative recovery (ERAS techniques: Enhanced Recovery After Surgery, fast-track surgery); limitation of damage from entrapment and malnutrition; discharge planning and organization of continuity of care
- basic knowledge in perioperative management, with focus on quality aspects, optimal cost/quality ratio and patient satisfaction
Employment opportunities
Functional profile
The professional who has successfully completed the studies of the Master in Geriatric Perioperative Medicine will have acquired specific skills in the evaluation and treatment of the elderly surgical patient.
In particular:
- will develop a high standard of skill in the multidimensional assessment and definition of surgical risk of the elderly patient
- will acquire the ability to critically analyze the condition of the elderly patient candidate for surgery, regardless of summary assessments based only on the chronological age
- will be able to decide which is the best and most suitable treatment for that patient, based – in addition to life expectancy and the extension of life offered by surgical treatment – on the quality of residual life and on principles of self-determination, in line with evidence from the literature and principles of ethics.
The professional who will obtain the Master in Geriatric Perioperative Medicine will be able to boast specific skills in the field of treatment and perioperative management of the elderly patient. This competence can be used by surgeons, anesthesiologists, nurses and geriatricians in hospital clinical practice, both in general surgery and in all specialist branches with the exception of obstetrics.
In all these areas, the demand for geriatric skills applicable to surgery is growing rapidly, with patients over eighty years old being the ones who make up the fastest growing sector of the surgical population. Attending the Master will also allow those who have successfully completed the Master to share their experience with colleagues, giving rise to a virtuous process of large-scale improvement in this sector.
Organized by
University of San Marino
Catholic University of Sacred Heart
