How to Become a Gerontologist
Think about what job you want and how advanced you want your career to be., Know requirements for your schooling., Go into administrative gerontology., Be an academic gerontologist., Consider a career in applied gerontology.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Think about what job you want and how advanced you want your career to be.
This will take some research on your part, because the discipline of gerontology is huge and varied – your options are almost limitless! Ask yourself, “What do I want to do everyday to work with or for the elderly?” If someone has the job you want, ask them about their career path.
You can say something like, “What kind of degree did you have to get for this job?” or, “What did you major in?” Once you have an idea of what kind of job you’d like to have, start to consider how advanced you want your job to be – this will influence how much school you need to do.
Try to pinpoint your desired field and level of work responsibility, so you know what degree to pursue. -
Step 2: Know requirements for your schooling.
Talk to peers, friends, and people who work in the field to get a good idea of what school or program is a good fit for you.
Decide what degree to pursue, and check with the program to see what is required of you to get in.
You will probably need a high school diploma or GED to get started, and there may be other requirements.
When deciding on a degree, keep in mind generally how much time goes into it:
Getting your Associate’s in a field related to gerontology (nursing, psychology, social work) will likely qualify you to work in entry-level positions.You can usually get an Associate’s degree in 2 years, and programs are available at local Community Colleges.
Most people who become gerontologists get a Bachelor’s degree in psychology, social work, or nursing.Other possible majors are biology, sociology, or a health-related field.Bachelor’s degrees usually take 4 years to earn.
Some colleges and universities do offer specific Bachelor’s degrees in gerontology, but it’s not very common – check with your school to see if you can at least minor in it.
To get your Master’s, you have to first complete a Bachelor’s degree and then do another 2 years of school on average.
Some colleges and universities offer programs that are dual Bachelor’s and Master’s at the same time, but that varies by school.
Get your Doctorate if you want to do research or teach.A PhD usually takes about 8 years to earn – 4 years getting a Bachelor’s degree, and then another 4 years to obtain your Doctorate.
You will also have to write a long thesis paper or do a major project.
Consider a Graduate Certificate if you already have a Master’s degree and are just switching fields.A Graduate Certificate usually takes 1-2 years to get., There are three main branches of gerontology, and choosing one to pursue will give you a good idea of where to start: administrative, academic, and applied.
Administrative gerontologists work on programs for the elderly.
You can help to plan, enact, and monitor such programs.Be an administrative gerontologist if you’re interested in program development, such as in a care center, nursing home, or hospital.You probably need a Bachelor’s degree to get an entry- to mid-level position such as a Program Coordinator or Case Manager.Getting a Doctorate degree may enable you to work in a high-level position in administration, like Program Director., Gerontology researchers can focus on medical issues, such as diseases that affect older adults, social questions, like how to prevent depression during aging, questions about the physical process of getting older, how having an aging population affects society, and much more.Academic gerontologists might also teach at the university level, and be responsible for writing grant proposals.You may be able to work or intern with a research facility with an Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree, as part of a research team.
You may also be able to be a Teacher’s Aide.
With a Master’s degree, you can probably become an Academic Researcher.To be the Principle Researcher on a project, you will likely need a Doctorate degree.
With a PhD, you can also teach at a University level., An applied gerontologist, or practitioner, works directly with older adults and interacts with them on a daily basis.You may work in a care center or nursing home helping prepare meals, transporting the elderly, and tending to daily needs.Applied gerontologists can also be nurses, psychiatrists, counselors, or therapists.
You can also be a Senior Advocate, linking older adults to the world by assisting them with health insurance and medical care, helping with paperwork, aiding them in getting jobs or doing volunteer work, and getting them involved in the community and activities.With an Associate’s degree, you can probably get an entry-level position as a Nurse’s Assistant or Healthcare Aide, for example.You will probably need a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree to be a Social Worker.
Get your Master’s degree to get jobs like Program Planner or Geriatric Care Manager.You can also be a Physician Assistant or Nurse Practitioner in geriatrics with the right Master’s degree.
You’ll need a Doctorate (MD) to be a psychiatrist or Geriatric Doctor. -
Step 3: Go into administrative gerontology.
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Step 4: Be an academic gerontologist.
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Step 5: Consider a career in applied gerontology.
Detailed Guide
This will take some research on your part, because the discipline of gerontology is huge and varied – your options are almost limitless! Ask yourself, “What do I want to do everyday to work with or for the elderly?” If someone has the job you want, ask them about their career path.
You can say something like, “What kind of degree did you have to get for this job?” or, “What did you major in?” Once you have an idea of what kind of job you’d like to have, start to consider how advanced you want your job to be – this will influence how much school you need to do.
Try to pinpoint your desired field and level of work responsibility, so you know what degree to pursue.
Talk to peers, friends, and people who work in the field to get a good idea of what school or program is a good fit for you.
Decide what degree to pursue, and check with the program to see what is required of you to get in.
You will probably need a high school diploma or GED to get started, and there may be other requirements.
When deciding on a degree, keep in mind generally how much time goes into it:
Getting your Associate’s in a field related to gerontology (nursing, psychology, social work) will likely qualify you to work in entry-level positions.You can usually get an Associate’s degree in 2 years, and programs are available at local Community Colleges.
Most people who become gerontologists get a Bachelor’s degree in psychology, social work, or nursing.Other possible majors are biology, sociology, or a health-related field.Bachelor’s degrees usually take 4 years to earn.
Some colleges and universities do offer specific Bachelor’s degrees in gerontology, but it’s not very common – check with your school to see if you can at least minor in it.
To get your Master’s, you have to first complete a Bachelor’s degree and then do another 2 years of school on average.
Some colleges and universities offer programs that are dual Bachelor’s and Master’s at the same time, but that varies by school.
Get your Doctorate if you want to do research or teach.A PhD usually takes about 8 years to earn – 4 years getting a Bachelor’s degree, and then another 4 years to obtain your Doctorate.
You will also have to write a long thesis paper or do a major project.
Consider a Graduate Certificate if you already have a Master’s degree and are just switching fields.A Graduate Certificate usually takes 1-2 years to get., There are three main branches of gerontology, and choosing one to pursue will give you a good idea of where to start: administrative, academic, and applied.
Administrative gerontologists work on programs for the elderly.
You can help to plan, enact, and monitor such programs.Be an administrative gerontologist if you’re interested in program development, such as in a care center, nursing home, or hospital.You probably need a Bachelor’s degree to get an entry- to mid-level position such as a Program Coordinator or Case Manager.Getting a Doctorate degree may enable you to work in a high-level position in administration, like Program Director., Gerontology researchers can focus on medical issues, such as diseases that affect older adults, social questions, like how to prevent depression during aging, questions about the physical process of getting older, how having an aging population affects society, and much more.Academic gerontologists might also teach at the university level, and be responsible for writing grant proposals.You may be able to work or intern with a research facility with an Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree, as part of a research team.
You may also be able to be a Teacher’s Aide.
With a Master’s degree, you can probably become an Academic Researcher.To be the Principle Researcher on a project, you will likely need a Doctorate degree.
With a PhD, you can also teach at a University level., An applied gerontologist, or practitioner, works directly with older adults and interacts with them on a daily basis.You may work in a care center or nursing home helping prepare meals, transporting the elderly, and tending to daily needs.Applied gerontologists can also be nurses, psychiatrists, counselors, or therapists.
You can also be a Senior Advocate, linking older adults to the world by assisting them with health insurance and medical care, helping with paperwork, aiding them in getting jobs or doing volunteer work, and getting them involved in the community and activities.With an Associate’s degree, you can probably get an entry-level position as a Nurse’s Assistant or Healthcare Aide, for example.You will probably need a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree to be a Social Worker.
Get your Master’s degree to get jobs like Program Planner or Geriatric Care Manager.You can also be a Physician Assistant or Nurse Practitioner in geriatrics with the right Master’s degree.
You’ll need a Doctorate (MD) to be a psychiatrist or Geriatric Doctor.
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Lisa Moore
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