Spectrum 2008 - Nov. 25th

UC Davis Doctor Trains Next Generation of Geriatricians
November 25, 2008

Whether you're approaching life's second half and wondering what to expect in the coming years or facing a challenging diagnosis, UC Davis' Dr. Michael McCloud is a man you'd want at your side. In addition to his work as an attending physician at the geriatric clinic at the UC Davis School of Medicine, McCloud is busy educating the community on healthy living and training the next generation of geriatricians to meet the ever changing demands of aging patients.

In an effort to teach better aging techniques, Dr. McCloud envisioned UC Davis' Aging and Medical Science: A Mini Medical School to Prepare for Life's Second Half in 2003. When the program begins its seventh year in February 2009, over 2,000 members of the greater Sacramento area (ranging between the ages of 23 and 97) will have graduated from the program designed to teach optimal physical and mental health.

Topics in the Mini Medical School include joint health, the importance of sleep and nutrition, dietary supplements, and, new this year, the myths and realities of alcohol and health. The six-week series of lectures is presented by faculty physicians and research scientists from the UC Davis School of Medicine along with special guests from top universities.

Just last week, Dr. McCloud heard from a Mini Medical School graduate whose vision became distorted while she was out driving. Instead of ignoring the passing symptom, this savvy senior remembered her class on eye health and drove directly to an ophthalmologist. The diagnosis was retinal detachment, and immediate treatment saved her eyesight.

The free lectures are already full for the Spring 2009 class, but UC Davis plans on continuing the popular series, which has already made an impact in many lives.

Until recently, Dr. McCloud sat on the Alzheimer's Association of Northern California's Board of Directors. He takes a special interest in the mental health of adults over 50.

As an advocate of continuing education, McCloud says, "You absolutely can control your health." And to do so, he tells patients to, "Make it your hobby, and invest in yourself."

With such a large body of knowledge within the grasp of many seniors, McCloud suggests they begin their education by learning about medications and the attendant side effects, complications and alternative therapies.

"A patient's best self-defense becomes education and devoting the time and energy into learning more about maintaining a healthy lifestyle," he said.

After 15 years in private practice, McCloud returned to school himself, earning a specialty in geriatrics at Duke University. He said the demand for qualified geriatricians grows more dire as the baby boomer generation ages.

Unfortunately, many primary care physicians have never had even one hour of geriatrics training, and most are "learning on the backs of their patients," said McCloud.

When it comes to selecting a good geriatrician, Dr. McCloud recommends talking freely during office visits, sharing your concerns and asking questions. Additionally, each office visit should not end with a new prescription. A qualified geriatrician will examine what medications can be discontinued as well as added.

And if the phrase "At your ag,e you've got to expect this" is used to explain or excuse pain symptoms, then it's time to find a new doctor. After all, McCloud explains, if you're 74 years old and that means pain in the right knee, why shouldn't your left knee have the same pain?

Dr. McCloud is taking affirmative steps to ensure that there are more geriatricians in the coming years. A frequent participant in geriatric training programs, McCloud splits his week between his internal medicine practice in Davis and teaching fellows at the University Hospital.

There are currently an estimated 7,000 geriatricians in the United States, many involved exclusively in laboratory work and teaching. And it is estimated that the demand for these physicians will grow to over 20,000 geriatricians in the near future.

"What makes a difference to a medical student when choosing a specialty is working with a doctor in that field and making a connection," McCloud explains.

And McClou's teaching spirit is not exclusive to medical students, as he is a popular speaker in the Sacramento region. His community outreach includes presentations on topics such as Direct Drug Marketing, Tips for Preventing Medicine Mishaps, and Working with Older Adults with Dementia, Delirium and Depression.

McCloud gives outreach presentations to groups such as Aging and Adult Services, Men's Health Forum and numerous retirement communities. One recent talk to a group of lawyers helped distinguish the medical, and therefore legal, implications of brain injuries on an adult's legal status.

By understanding the difference between Alzheimer's disease and other disorders causing memory and intellectual decline, such as strokes and metabolic diseases, lawyers can operate better, and thus better protect their clients, knowing how to legally determine competence and incompetence.

When it comes to a disease like Alzheimer's that affects an entire family, Dr. McCloud acknowledges that a different approach is needed, one where the entire family is involved. Promising studies will help identify family histories, teach preventable hazards like head trauma and help identify healthy lifestyle choices that may delay a neurological disease such as Alzheimer's.

"As physicians come to understand the causes and treatments of disease, we can work better as a community to address them in a proactive matter," he said.

One thing is certain, Dr. Michael McCloud has taken proactive to a new level providing his patients, the university and the community with an amazing service.

"The UCD Department of Internal Medicine is dedicated to providing superior clinical care, research and education. The University of California's motto is Fiat Lux - Let There Be Light - the beacon that challenges us to pass the torch of higher education to future generations," said David Eastis, Development Officer for the UC Davis Department of Internal Medicine.

"And that's precisely what Dr. McCloud is doing through his internal medicine practice in David, his teaching fellows at the University Hospital and his teaching the community at the Mini Medical School."