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Program goals and objectives

Our overall goal is to help physicians in training become skilled, knowledgeable, and compassionate child and adolescent pychiatrists.

Goals for year 1

Farrah Fang, MD, class of 2008

To gain awareness of the interactions between children, adolescents, and their families and demonstrate skill in working with diverse populations
To demonstrate an ability to develop and sustain rapport with youth and families
To become comfortable with the therapeutic interview process with children and adolescents of various ages and their families
To gain skills in making a thorough integrative diagnostic case formulation including the use of a differential diagnostic assessment and multi-axial DSM-IV diagnoses
To make initial treatment plan recommendations, involving various levels of care (outpatient services, day treatment, inpatient, residential, in-home services, etc.) and treatment modalities (individual therapy, group therapy, family therapy, and psychopharmacology)

To gain familiarity with the major theories of child development and knowledge of developmental milestones and normal developmental processes in all spheres
To be able to differentiate normal development from delayed development and from psychopathology
To be able to differentiate normal reactions from pathological reactions to stress
To understand the presentations of the major psychiatric syndromes in youth
To obtain familiarity with the major types of therapeutic interventions for children and their families including indications, alternatives, contraindications, adverse effects and efficacy for different treatments based on available empirical literature

To recognize the limits of knowledge and skills and demonstrate self-awareness
To demonstrate sensitivity to culture, age, gender, and disabilities and be able to work with health care professionals of diverse backgrounds
To recognize and manage transference and counter-transference issues
To complete documentation thoroughly and on time
To work effectively, productively, and cooperatively with supervisors
To show respect, compassion and integrity toward patients/others

To communicate effectively with patients using verbal, nonverbal and written skills as appropriate
To educate patients, their families, and professionals about medical, psychosocial, and behavioral issues
To demonstrate the ability to obtain, interpret, and evaluate consultations from other medical specialties
To gain skills in providing explanations of psychiatric and neurological diseases and treatment that are jargon-free and appropriately geared to the education and understanding of patients and their families
To develop a working alliance with patients and their families

To demonstrate academic interest/use of relevant literature/self-directed learning
To use relevant practice parameters and treatment guidelines
To exhibit openness to feedback and use supervision to improve performance
To demonstrate an ability to research and summarize a particular problem that arises from caseloads

To collaborate effectively with medical and social services, educational and child protective services (Department of Child & Family Services, DCFS) as well as with other mental health professionals in caring for children and adolescents
To increase knowledge of community agencies and resources serving youth
To advocate to ensure quality patient care and assist patients/families in dealing with complex systems
To gain a basic level of understanding of the legal aspects of education including Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) and Individualized Educational Plans (IEP)

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Content last reviewed: September 2009

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