Aims The aims were to evaluate the effect of a 4.5‐week geriatric medicine course on 5th‐year medical students' attitudes and self‐perceived competency scores. Student performance in the summative multiple choice questions examination in 2011 was compared with results from 2008. Methods Pre‐ and post‐course attitudes (University of California, Los Angeles Attitudes Survey) and self‐perceived competency surveys were administered to 65 5th‐year medical students following a 4.5‐week geriatric medicine course at one South Australian teaching hospital as part of course evaluation and improvement. Results Significant improvements in students' attitude (mean pre‐ and post‐attitude score (± standard deviation): 3.34 (1.66) vs 3.66 (1.06); P < 0.001) and self‐perceived competency (mean pre and post‐competency scores: 2.89 (0.84) and 4.03 (0.56); P < 0.001) were observed. The 2011 multiple choice question results were much better than in 2008 (91.5 (3.6) vs 75.2 (7.9); P < 0.001). Conclusions A geriatric medicine course for senior medical students allows for improvement in attitudes and self‐perceived competency scores.