ABSTRACT
The purpose of the diploma examination is to identify the holders as doctors who have special knowledge and expertise in the care of elderly people. The diploma is of special significance for clinical assistants, hospital practitioners and staff-grade doctors working in non-consultant posts in departments of geriatric medicine. Medical officers to such establishments will more and more need to be able to demonstrate their knowledge and expertise to purchasers, frequently local authority departments of social services. The Association of Directors of Social Services is known to be increasingly concerned about this matter. The examination consists of three parts which each carry equal marks. These are the written papers, the clinical long-case examination and the clinical short-cases examination. The clinical examination vivas are not confined to factual matters of the case in hand and a particular diagnosis frequently leads on directly to a discussion of general principles and practice.
