The article is a lecture on the history of development and the current state of geriatric medicine. The purpose of the lecture is to consider the stages of the formation of geriatrics as a scientific and clinical discipline and to substantiate its significance. The lecture defines concepts such as holistic approach, complex geriatric assessment, geriatric syndrome. The role of the founders of international and domestic geriatrics, such as M. Warren, B. Isaac, D. Sheldon, I.I. Mechnikov, V.N. Anisimov, E.S. Pushkova, is described. Various directions of geriatric medicine are considered and the necessity of their study is justified. The results of scientific research in geriatrics are analyzed. The basic principles of the ortho-geriatric approach, which becomes crucial for the successful treatment of elderly patients with fractures, as well as the features of geriatric rehabilitation, geriatric cardiology, are described. In conclusion, the author offers several models for the development of geriatric medicine.