Site Evaluation Presentation Summary
During this rotation, I presented several geriatric cases that helped me reflect on my clinical reasoning and management of medically complex older adults. My first presentation involved a patient with Parkinson’s disease who developed delirium in the setting of a urinary tract infection after a fall. This case reminded me that infections in elderly patients often present with confusion rather than classic symptoms and reinforced the importance of reviewing infectious organisms and common causes of delirium in geriatrics. It also highlighted how polypharmacy can contribute to falls and confusion, and my preceptor emphasized the importance of reviewing medications carefully and considering the Beers Criteria when managing elderly patients.
My second case involved epididymo-orchitis in a patient with chronic urinary retention and intermittent catheterization. While reviewing the case, I realized that the treatment given was not the most typical first-line therapy, which pushed me to review the recommended treatments for orchitis and epididymitis. My journal article also discussed epididymo-orchitis in older adults and reinforced that infections in elderly patients are often caused by gram-negative organisms related to urinary tract abnormalities. This experience helped me recognize that pharmacology, particularly antibiotics and diabetic medications, is an area I need to continue strengthening.
One strength I noticed during these presentations was my ability to organize complex patient histories and synthesize information from extensive chart review, labs, and medication lists. Geriatric patients often have many comorbidities that must be addressed at every visit, and this rotation helped me become more comfortable managing multiple problems simultaneously. Moving forward, I plan to continue reviewing pharmacology and medication side effects in elderly patients. Overall, this rotation reinforced that geriatric care requires careful medication review, strong clinical reasoning, and a focus on stabilizing patients and maintaining quality of life.
