Osteopathic medicine and the silver tsunami: preparing tomorrow's first responders for the elder boom.

In response to the shifting demographics observed in the United States, a variety of organizations have begun issuing consensus statements and patient care guidelines to help health professionals meet the anticipated medical needs of the older population. The authors describe a collaborative effort within the osteopathic medical profession focused on translating geriatric core competencies into curricula guidelines for osteopathic medical education. Osteopathic physicians will likely be the "first responders" for elder care needs in the United States as a result of their disproportionately high rates of primary care practice.