Book excerpt: This volume addresses the extraordinary need to educate personnel at all levels in gerontology and geriatric medicine and in the design and delivery of health and social services. The historical development of gerontology and geriatric medicine and education issues are carefully considered with recommendations for curriculum design. The authors offer state of the art discussions on both gerontology and geriatrics, with implications for future research. The chapters, written by seminal figures in the field, address the critical need for well trained faculty and other professionals to: educate new and existing faculty and other professionals, educate researches to accelerate scientific knowledge, provide courses for all students that address life-span/life/cycle development and related materials, provide discipline specific courses on aging, and much more.