Adolescent medicine: workforce trends and recommendations

Abstract

The academic successes of AM during the past 2 decades are marked by board certification, fellowship program accreditation, residency curricula creation, and the evolution of a remarkably respected scientific journal, the Journal of Adolescent Health. These same accomplishments have increased professional and public recognition of unmet population needs and the specialists who can help address them. The adolescent population is large, diverse, underserved, and characterized by increasingly complex medical and behavioral issues. Meeting their health care needs is a national priority. Primary care professionals who treat adolescents want and need adolescent-specific training in anticipatory guidance, screening, counseling, and management of common adolescent problems. A larger workforce of AM physicians is needed to provide this training, consult on complex medical and psychosocial issues when requested, and lead research efforts that will advance knowledge in the field. Developing this workforce will require improved recruitment into fellowship training; mentorship, policies, and resources that support trainee and faculty diversity; and articulation of the skills that define an AM physician.