GEMS Courses

The American Geriatrics Society and the National Council of State Emergency Medical
Services Training Coordinators are pleased to bring you Geriatric Education for
Emergency Medical Services (GEMS), a new national continuing education
curriculum. The exciting new program is the first of its kind – designed specifically for
First Responders, EMTs, Paramedics, and any other emergency care provider.

The proportion of the aged in society today is greater than ever before, and growing
faster than any other segment of our population. Current indications are that
approximately 34% of calls for emergency medical services, or 3.4 million emergency
responses involve patients over the age of 60. GEMS represents the most credible and
complete source of prehospital medical information for the older population.

The GEMS course is designed to address all of the special needs of the older population,
including the geriatric objectives as identified in the EMT-Basic, Intermediate, and
Paramedic National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) National
Standard Curricula.

The GEMS course is innovative, comprehensive, and highly visual with:
" Case-Based Lectures - The GEMS lectures cover the most important points that
need to be emphasized. This is done through the use of case studies, which start
students thinking about how they would treat a similar case in the field.
" Live Action Video - Containing real-life footage from the field, these clips illustrate
hands-on skills covered in the GEMS course.
" Hands-on Skill Stations - The GEMS Skill Stations are an important part of helping
students practice the hands-on aspects of what they earn by reading the text,
listening to the lectures, and watching the GEMS video.
" Small Group Scenarios - The scenarios help students apply information from all
aspects of the GEMS course.