What Makes Residents Interested in Geriatric Psychiatry? A Pan-Canadian Online Survey of Psychiatry Residents Soham Rej, M.D., Vincent Lalibert e, M.D., M.Sc., Mark J. Rapoport, M.D., F.R.C.P.C., Dallas Seitz, M.D., Ph.D., F.R.C.P.C., Melissa Andrew, M.D., M.Ed., F.R.C.P.C., Marla Davidson, M.D., F.R.C.P.C. Objectives: In spite of a rapidly increasing need, there remains a shortage of geriatric psychiatrists in North America. The factors associated with psychiatric residents’ in- terest in geriatric psychiatry have not yet been examined in a nationally represen- tative sample. Design: Cross-sectional study. Setting: Web-based online survey of Canadian psychiatry residents. Participants: 207 psychiatry residents (24.3% response rate). Measurements: The main outcome was interest in becoming a geri- atric psychiatrist. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were performed to better un- derstand what demographic, educational, and vocational variables were associated with interest in becoming a geriatric psychiatrist. Results: A number of respondents had an interest in becoming a geriatric psychiatrist (29.0%, N ¼ 60); in doing a geriatric psychiatry fellowship (20.3%, N ¼ 42); or an interest in doing geriatric psychiatry as a part of the clinical practice (60.0%, N ¼ 124). Demographic charac- teristics (age, gender, ethnicity) did not correlate with interest in geriatric psychiatry. The variables most robustly associated with interest in geriatric psychiatry were: 1) completion of geriatric psychiatry rotation(s) before the third year of residency (OR: 5.13, 95% CI: 1.23e21.4); 2) comfort working with geriatric patients and their families (OR: 18.6, 95% CI: 2.09e165.3); 3) positive experiences caring for older adults prior to medical school (OR: 12.4, 95% CI: 1.07e144.5); and 4) the presence of annual conferences in the resident’s field of interest (OR: 4.50, 95% CI: 1.12e18.2). Conclusion: Exposing medical students and junior psychiatry residents to clinical geriatric psychiatry rotations that increase comfort in working with older adults may be potential future strategies to improve recruitment of geriatric psychiatrists. (Am J Geriatr Psychiatry 2015; 23:735e743) Key Words: Geriatric psychiatry, predictors of interest, recruitment, early clinical exposure, comfort working with older adults, medical education Received May 13, 2014; revised August 24, 2014; accepted August 29, 2014. From the Department of Psychiatry, McGill University (SR, VL), Montreal, Canada; the Division of Geriatric Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, University of Toronto (MJR), Toronto, Canada; the Division of Geriatric Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Queen’s University (DS, MA), Kingston, Canada; and the Division of Geriatric Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, University of Saskatchewan (MD), Saskatoon, Canada. Send correspondence and reprint requests to Soham Rej, M.D., Irving Ludmer Research & Training Building, McGill University, 1033 Pine Ave. W., Montreal, Quebec, H3A 1A1, Canada. e-mail: soham.rej@mail.mcgill.ca Ó 2015 American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jagp.2014.08.015 Am J Geriatr Psychiatry 23:7, July 2015 735