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Adolescent and Child Psychiatrist |
Career OverviewAdolescent and child psychiatrists are trained medical physicians that specialize in the diagnosing and treating of children and adolescents with emotional disorders, mental illness, depression and other psychological problems.
Most adolescent and child psychiatrists work in general hospitals that have very large pediatric services or children’s hospitals. They act as consultants to pediatric surgeons, ambulatory pediatricians, pediatricians and pediatric specialists regarding many different issues. Some of the different issues faced by an adolescent and child psychiatrist’s surgical or medical patients are psycho physiological, behavioral problems, socio-familial and psychiatric.
Trained as experts in puzzling and unusual diagnostic problems to behavior management, they also work with other health professionals to identify and deal with the children’s problems and guidance in the more difficult aspects regarding pediatric care.
Many patients see an adolescent and child psychiatrist when they are having difficulty dealing with problems in their social life or personal life such as:
- Anxiety disorders
- Tragedy in their life, such as a family member dying
- Obsessive-compulsive disorders
- Dealing with the divorce of their parents
- Traumatic occurrences
- Shyness
- Emotional disorders
- Mental illness
- Pain syndromes
- Thoughts of suicide or suicide attempts
- Eating disorders/morbid obesity
An adolescent and child psychiatrist often heads up day or inpatient programs to provide the support and intensive treatment needed for adolescents and children with problems such as, brittle diabetes or chronic illnesses, that become complicated by psychosocial components.
They also work with patients who have conversion disorders, encopresis, urinary incontinence, depression and anxiety. They help patients learn to function in today’s society and often use medications or a wide variety of other treatments available.
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Career RequirementsAdolescent and child psychiatrists require extensive formal education, as do most physicians and surgeons. Their formal training is among the most demanding of any profession.
After four years of undergraduate school, a student, wanting to be an adolescent and child psychiatrist, enters into medical school for four years. On completion of medical school, there is post-graduate education of four years in psychiatry with two years of pediatric psychiatry. There is some combined psychiatry programs available in order to shorten the time-period required.
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Job OutlookAs the population continues to increase and with many doctors and surgeons retiring through 2014, the demand and employment opportunities for all heath care professionals continues to increase at a rapid pace.
Among the medical specialty groups, the American Psychiatric Association reported that psychiatry is the forth-largest field with over 45,000 practicing psychiatrists. The number of people selecting adolescent and child psychiatry is not sufficient to fill the employment opportunities available.
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Career TrackThere are several options for career changes, advancements and choices for adolescent and child psychiatrists. There are jobs in large community hospitals and children’s hospitals heading up teams of specialists dealing with pediatric problems, teaching jobs at colleges and universities and private practice.
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CompensationHighly skilled and trained adolescent and child psychiatrists provide valuable and necessary services to children suffering with mental problems. Their salary ranges from approximately $185,500 annually to over $305,000.
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