Doctoral education in nursing is relatively new, with 14 of the 22 programs identified by the National League of Nursing being established after 1970. To identify trends, patterns of consistency, recurrent gerontological foci, and the frequency of occurrence of identified factors in graduate programs in Gerontological Nursing, the curricula, program requirements, course content, and scheduling of 35 gerontological nursing graduate programs were reviewed. An analysis of the results showed that preparation for gerontological nursing is still in its infancy, with considerable diversity and inconsistency in curricula, terminology, and clinical emphases being cited. Curricular content appears to emphasize social, attitudinal, and physical care, with little attention given to mental health/geropsychiatric, or health policy issues. Despite a professed emphasis on clinical nursing research, the majority of programs give greater attention to general doctoral research preparation, theory development, and professional issues. The two year Master's degree programs show the most evident gerontological content, focusing on assessment skills, age-related biological changes, and physiological dysfunction. A curriculum balance between physiological, psychological, and social gerontological nursing is recommended, with emphasis on cultural diversity, advocacy, and clinical specialization in wellness/illness assessment. (BL)