by Alaa Ishak
Daily Lobo
First-year medical students and senior citizens are pairing up as part of a mentor program at the School of Medicine.
"As the population is aging, no matter what health-related field you go into, you have to deal with older patients," said Carla Herman, chief of the UNM Department Geriatric Division.
She said she wanted to make medical students feel more comfortable with older people in their community.
She said she got into geriatrics because she participated in a similar mentor program when she was in medical school.
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The medical school provided lectures in the fall for students who signed up for the program. There are 12 students in the program.
The lectures, taught by Sandra Qaseem, focused primarily on aging and learning how to communicate with older patients.
In the spring semester, students were paired with people between ages 65 and 90.
First-year medical student Almea Matanock said meeting with senior citizens is the most appealing part of the program.
"It's interesting talking to people with so much life experience," she said.
Besides the experience, Matanock hopes to acquire better communication skills with seniors and to gain an understanding of the complexity of their medical cases.
Matanock was paired with Madelyn Carlisle, 83, and her husband, Norman Carlisle, 94.
Carlisle and her husband met with Matanock, and they talked about personal things as they got to know each other.
Carlisle said they conversed with Matanock about "getting old and gray and having health problems."
"It's wonderful for young people to know old people," she said. "We have problems and do need health, compassion and understanding."
The program, formed by the UNM Center on Aging and the School of Medicine's Geriatric Program, is made up of three sessions for the medical students and senior pairs to get acquainted. The meetings are centered on experiences with the health care system.
Students and mentors are given the opportunity to continue their relationship over the next two years after the three sessions have been completed.
Program director Peggy Allen said it introduces medical students to the community of the elderly and how to communicate with it.
Allen and project manager Chris Hayward received a grant from the Donald W. Reynolds Foundation.
The foundation provides $2 million over four years to institute a variety of activities concentrated around geriatrics.
UNM is one of the five medical schools in the country to host such a program.
