Adolescent Medicine
The Division of Adolescent Medicine at The Hospital for Sick Children is an interprofessional group committed to promoting and providing excellence in adolescent health care and is committed to providing high quality, developmentally-appropriate clinical care to teens and their families through our specialty teen clinic programs:
- Eating Disorders Program
- Substance Abuse Program
- The Young Families Program
- SickKids Interprofessional Team for Youth (SITY)
- Transgender Youth Clinic (with Endocrinology)
Visit sickkids.ca to read more about the Division of Adolescent Medicine
The Division of Adolescent Medicine is committed to providing high quality, developmentally-appropriate clinical care to teens and their families through our specialty teen clinic programs, which include our AMCS (Adolescent Medicine Consult Service), Eating Disorders Program, Transgender Youth Clinic (with Endocrinology), The Young Families Program for teen-led families, and our Substance Abuse Program. Additionally, we partner with the Paediatric and Adolescent Gynaecology Program to run a Complex Contraception Clinic. We are available anywhere in the hospital that teenagers can be found, and regularly attend Lupus, STOMP (weight management), Sickle Cell, Kidney Transplant, and Heart Transplant clinics. This rich clinical service provides a breadth and depth of learning experiences which are foundational to our subspecialty training program. These learning experiences are further enhanced with community experiences in college health, adolescent psychiatry, sports medicine and community Adolescent Medicine consultation clinics. The Division of Adolescent Medicine provides training and education for physicians, nurses and nurse practitioners, social workers, psychologists, dieticians and others about adolescent development and health care. We have an active research program that seeks to advance the care of adolescents in Canada and around the world.
This two-year subspecialty training program prepares individuals for an academic career in Adolescent Medicine. The program facilitates the development of clinical, educational, research and administrative skills, as well as supports the development of leadership expertise in the area of Adolescent Medicine. The Division also offers clinical fellowship training (for periods of up to 2 years) for individuals from countries outside of North America who are interested in obtaining additional training in Adolescent Medicine in order to inform their work in this field in their home country.
The first year of the training program is designed to foster the development of a theoretical foundation and core skills in Adolescent Medicine that is supported by clinical experience. The clinical responsibilities include outpatient experiences (hospital and a variety of community-based settings), inpatient experiences, and consultation on outpatients and hospitalized patients in medical, surgical and psychiatric settings. These clinical experiences provide the trainee with exposure to a breadth of complex clinical issues including eating disorders, adolescent sexual health, transgender and sexual minority care, substance abuse, teen pregnancy and parenting, complex medical and psychosocial problems, and chronic illness and disability. The first-year trainee also has the opportunity to develop his/her teaching skills and is expected to participate in the formal teaching program of the Division.
The second year of sub-specialty training is meant to refine the clinical, educational, administrative and research skills acquired over the previous year in preparation for transition to practice. The trainee has an enhanced role in the teaching program of the Division and is given the opportunity to precept and supervise residents and medical students in both the outpatient and inpatient settings. Additionally, the trainee spends time focusing on developing leadership skills in the area of Adolescent Medicine.
Objectives
The RCPSC-accredited subspecialty training program in Adolescent Medicine provides clinical training, research experience and leadership opportunities for subspecialty residents and clinical fellows. The curriculum of the 24-month program is designed to meet the objectives of training of the RCPSC. These objectives are met through a strong clinical experience, a robust Academic Half-Day curriculum, and significant research exposure.
Training Sites
The Hospital for Sick Children is the primary training site with a broad range of inpatient and ambulatory clinical settings.
Subspecialty trainees will also attend CAMH (Centre for Addictions and Mental Health), U of T college health, and a community sports medicine clinic.
Application Process
CaRMS Eligible Applicants:
Applicants to Adolescent Medicine who are eligible for RCPSC recognition of their paediatric and subsequent subspecialty training must apply through the subspecialty resident CaRMS match. The details of this process are described on the Canadian Residency Matching Service. Applicants will not be considered for subspecialty training without going through the CaRMS match.
International Applicants:
Applicants who are not Canadian citizens or permanent residents and who do not meet eligibility criteria for RCPSC recognition can apply to the Division of Adolescent Medicine for a clinical fellowship position if they have successfully completed a minimum of three years of paediatric training. Applicants should be aware that funding for these clinical fellowship positions is extremely competitive. All candidates with training from outside North America are strongly encouraged to undertake an elective with the Division of Adolescent Medicine.
Only those candidates who have submitted all required documentation including their curriculum vitae, application form, references and have been offered an interview will be considered for a position. Applications are completed online.
Please click here to apply online: Fellowship Application - Adolescent Medicine
Research Experience
First-year subspecialty trainees will also develop a repertoire of research skills through the critical analysis of current literature in the field, and development of a research project. There is a didactic research curriculum offered as part of our Academic Half Day. The trainee is expected to define his/her area of research with supervision from a designated faculty member, then pursue this area of interest during the latter part of the first year. The first-year trainee also has the opportunity to develop his/her teaching skills and is expected to participate in the formal teaching program of the Division.
During the second year, the trainee is also expected to continue and complete the clinical research project that was begun in the first year.
Evaluation
Evaluation of the subspecialty residents and clinical fellows is through a comprehensive range of assessments including:
- End of rotation In-Training Evaluation Reports (ITERs)
- Work-based assessments
- SAQ in-training examination
- STACERS
- Evaluation of research progress
- Evaluation of the SSR as a teacher
We have a Competence Committee which reviews the progress of each SSR quarterly and makes recommendations regarding progression through the program.
Ways To Get Involved
Trainees sit on each of the Residency Training Program committees and subcommittees, including our Wellness Subcommittee, our Admissions Subcommittee, our IP Education Subcommittee, and our Assessment Subcommittee.
Additional Educational Opportunities
Trainees attend:
- Weekly Academic Half Day sessions
- Weekly Paediatric Grand Rounds
- Divisional Rounds
- Monthly Journal Club
- Quarterly National Adolescent Medicine Rounds.
Opportunities exist to attend or present at local, national, and international scientific meetings including SAHM, CPS and ICRE.
Trainees may elect to participate in the Teaching Scholars Program in their second year.
Elective Opportunities
Approximately 200 Canadian and foreign elective students are accommodated in the Department of Paediatrics each year.
University of Toronto Medical Students
Electives are an integral part of the curriculum for University of Toronto fourth-year medical students. The 15-week elective course occurs between September and December of fourth year. Students complete a minimum of 13 weeks of electives.
The electives program provides students with the opportunity to explore career possibilities, to gain experience in aspects of medicine beyond the core curriculum, and to study subjects in greater depth. Knowledge, skills, and attitudes are further developed in a clinical context selected by students.
Fourth-year University of Toronto students can apply for SickKids electives via ROUTE on MedSIS.
Visiting Medical Students
For those students from other Canadian or International medical schools, all visiting elective applications must be processed and approved by the Electives Office with the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto. Information regarding elective procedures and the online application is available at AFMC Student Portal under "University of Toronto".
Electives for visiting students are available only for those students who would be registered in their penultimate or final year of medical school at the time when the elective would take place. The student should have completed their core/basic paediatric training.
At the University of Toronto, the minimum period for an elective is two weeks and the maximum period for an elective is four weeks.
Detailed information on visiting elective placement opportunities and administrative procedures is available here.
Observership Opportunities
Opportunities for international learners exist to complete observerships.
For further information, please contact Noreen Akhtar (see Contact).
Contact
Subspecialty Program Director
Lindsay Fleming
Phone: 416-813-4905
E-mail: Lindsay.fleming@sickkids.ca
Education Coordinator
Akta Sehgal
Tel: 416-813-7654 ext 414567
Fax: 416-813-5392
Email: adolmed.trainingprogram@sickkids.ca
Electives
Canadian and United States Visiting Electives Coordinator
Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto
Phone: 416-978-2691
Email: medicine.electives@utoronto.ca
International Visiting Electives Coordinator
Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto
Phone: 416-978-1831
Email: medicine.intelective@utoronto.ca