Fellowship Program

• Overview
• Program Goals
• Application Process & Selection Criteria
• Download Application Form (MS Word)

Overview

The three-year Adolescent Medicine Fellowship Program is accredited by the ACGME (Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education). Successful completion of the program will enable physicians to meet the eligibility criteria for certification by the American Board of Pediatrics and the American Board of Internal Medicine. The program has the major objective of developing leadership expertise in the area of Adolescent Medicine. A major emphasis in the program is to increase the fellow's expertise in the area of biopsychosocial research by taking formal courses in research design and methodology and participating in an identified research project with the core faculty. The core disciplines of the faculty include Pediatrics, Obstetrics/ Gynecology, Psychiatry, Nutrition, Nursing, Social Welfare, Education and Psychology. The clinical responsibilities include Outpatient experiences at UCSF and a variety of community-based settings, and the Inpatient experiences in Adolescent Medicine Service at UCSF and consultation on hospitalized inpatients in medical, surgical and psychiatric settings.

The Fellow participates in courses at the University of California, San Francisco, and/or Berkeley, which include the Core Seminar Series in Adolescent Medicine, Adolescent Development, Biostatistics, Medical Information, Epidemiology, Psychology and Research Design. During the first year of training, the Fellow defines his/her area of clinical research under close supervision with a designated faculty member. The Fellow pursues this area of interest during the later part of the first year. During the second year the Fellow focuses on further development of those skills that have been learned in the basic courses and completes the defined area of clinical research. In addition, the fellow participates in the teaching program of the Division. The Fellow may also elect to enroll in the Maternal and Child Health Master of Public Health program at the School of Public Health at the University of California, Berkeley during his/her second or third year.

Research areas currently under investigation include adolescent risk judgement and decision-making, adolescent risk taking behaviors including substance use and sexual behavior, sexually transmitted diseases including human papillomavirus (HPV), evaluation of AIDS intervention and prevention programs, the delivery of adolescent preventive services in clinical practice, and health policy analysis of financing or health are for teens.

The fellowship program is supported by a grant from the federal Maternal and Child Health Bureau, Health Resources and Services Administration, Public Health Service, Department of Health and Human Services.

Program Goals

1. To become skilled in delivering quality health care to adolescents with specific reference to the special health problems of this population.
   
2. To acquire advanced skills in diagnosis and management of medical problems unique to adolescence.
   
3. To attain an in-depth knowledge of normal adolescent growth and development, the family and those conditions that affect the health of an adolescent from the biological, psychological, political, legal and sociological perspectives.
   
4. To become adept in the diagnosis and management of psychosocial problems of adolescence.
   
5. To develop skills in the delivery of health care to high risk youth, and youth in community settings.
   
6. To acquire experience in self-help methods, health education and planning and sex education in the clinical and school settings.
   
7. To become familiar with the application of the interdisciplinary team approach in the delivery of health care to adolescents and their families, in conducting research, in training health professionals and in development of a collaborative trainee health project.
   
8. To become skilled at conducting research from the inception of a question, development of a proposal, implementation of the research project, analysis of the data from the project, completion of research project including submission for presentation at a professional research society meeting and the preparation and submission of a manuscript for publication through completion of research courses, and careful supervision by a faculty research mentor. (Optional MPH degree at UC Berkeley, School of Public Health.)
   
9. To become experienced in clinical teaching including the development of four formal didactic clinical presentations on common adolescent health issues.
   
10. To develop the required clinical, teaching, research, policy and community skills to be capable of assuming a leadership role in the field of Adolescent Medicine

Application Process

Overview
Fellows are selected approximately one year prior to the anticipated start date (July 1, 200X) of the fellowship. One to two medicine fellows are accepted each year.

Application Date
It is suggested that the application including a curriculum vitae and letters of reference is completed before May 31 of the year prior to the anticipated fellowship starting date.

Application Eligibility
Applicants from accredited residency programs in Pediatrics and Internal Medicine and American citizens or legal residents of the US may apply. Others may contact the director or the administrator to determine eligibility for application.

Interviews
It is suggested that the applicant schedule to visit the program between January 1st and July 1st of the year prior to the anticipated fellowship starting date.

Application Information
For further information and to obtain application forms, contact:

Ishita Samanti, Analyst III
Telephone: (415) 502-7885
FAX: (415) 476-6106
Email: SamtaniI@peds.ucsf.edu