Abstract
Objective
This study aimed to identify factors that influence whether adult psychiatry residents choose to pursue fellowship training, particularly in child psychiatry. The study also assessed how child psychiatry is perceived among adult psychiatry residents as a subspecialty.
Methods
Electronic surveys were administered to all adult psychiatry residents at the University of Michigan, Henry Ford Health System, and Authority Health. These three programs were selected for geographic convenience. The survey included demographic questions as well as Likert-scale statements that assessed the importance of various factors in determining future career choice. The survey also assessed the agreeability of various statements pertaining to the field of child psychiatry.
Results
The most important factor for residents in deciding their specialty choice was personal interest, followed by work-life balance, the ability to work directly with patients, and the location of their future job. Over half of residents rated length of training as being “extremely important” or “very important,” and fewer than 30% of residents surveyed felt that child psychiatry fellowship was too long. Child psychiatry is widely recognized by residents as having ample job opportunities. However, fewer than 30% of psychiatry residents surveyed rated a high level of interest in child psychiatry.
Conclusion
The knowledge of psychiatry residents’ views on specialty selection could inform decision making around recruitment efforts. It may also gauge the efficacy and impact of different propositions made to increase child psychiatry recruitment, such as shortening fellowship training in child psychiatry and sponsoring mentorships and interest groups.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. AACAP Work Force Fact Sheet. Last updated April 2019. Available at https://www.aacap.org/App_Themes/AACAP/docs/resources_for_primary_care/workforce_issues/workforce_factsheet_updated_2018.pdf. Accessed 30 Dec. 2020.
Vander Schaff S. There’s a shortage of child psychiatrists and the kids are hurting. The Washington Post, October 28, 2016. Available at https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/theres-a-shortage-of-child-psychiatrists-and-kids-are-hurting/2016/10/28/37fd19f0-63b6-11e6-be4e-23fc4d4d12b4_story.html. Accessed 30 Dec. 2020.
US Department of Health and Human Services, US Public Health Service. Mental Health: A Report of the Surgeon General: Executive Summary. December 1999. Available at https://profiles.nlm.nih.gov/spotlight/nn/catalog/nlm:nlmuid-101584932X815-img. Accessed 30 Dec. 2020.
Kim WJ. The American academy of child and adolescent psychiatry task force on workforce needs. Child and adolescent psychiatry workforce: a critical shortage and national challenge Acad Psychiatry. 2003;27:277–82.
National Council for Mental Wellbeing, Medical Director Institute. The psychiatric shortage: causes and solutions. March 29, 2017. Updated March 1, 2018. Available at https://www.thenationalcouncil.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Psychiatric-Shortage_National-Council-.pdf?daf=375ateTbd56. Accessed 30 Dec 2020.
Thomas CR, Holzer CE 3rd. The continuing shortage of child and adolescent psychiatrists. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2006;45(9):1023–31.
National Resident Matching Program. Advanced data tables: 2019 specialties matching service. May 2019. Available at http://www.nrmp.org. Accessed 30 Dec. 2020.
National Resident Matching Program. Advanced data tables: 2019 main residency match. May 2019. Available at http://www.nrmp.org. Accessed 30 Dec. 2020.
Agapoff JR 4th, Tonai C, Eckert DM, Gavero G, Goebert DA. Challenges and perspectives to the rise in general psychiatry residency applications. Acad Psychiatry. 2018;42:674–6.
McBain RK, Kofner A, Stein BD, Cantor JH, Vogt WB, Yu H. Growth and distribution of child psychiatrists in the United States: 2007–2016. Pediatrics. 2019;144(6): e20191576
Shaw JA, Lewis JE, Katyal S. Factors affecting recruitment into child and adolescent psychiatry training. Acad Psychiatry. 2010;34:183–9.
Daniels VJ, Kassam N. Determinants of internal medicine residents’ choice in the Canadian R4 fellowship match: a qualitative study. BMC Med Educ. 2011;11:44.
Daniels VJ, Kassam N. Impact of personal goals on the internal medicine R4 subspecialty match: a Q methodology study. BMC Med Educ. 2013;13:171.
Dean J. Increasing recruitment in child and adolescent psychiatry: a resident’s perspective. Acad Psychiatry. 2017;41:243–5.
Dingle AD. Child psychiatry: what are we teaching medical students? Acad Psychiatry. 2010;34:175–82.
Malloy E, Hollar D, Lindsey BA. Increasing interest in child and adolescent psychiatry in the third-year clerkship: results from a post-clerkship survey. Acad Psychiatry. 2008;32:350–6.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Disclosures
On behalf of all authors, the corresponding author states that there is no conflict of interest.
Ethical Considerations
Authors obtained an exemption from the University of Michigan Institutional Review Board to conduct this study.
Additional information
Publisher's Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Cheng, N., Mohiuddin, S. Addressing the Nationwide Shortage of Child and Adolescent Psychiatrists: Determining Factors that Influence the Decision for Psychiatry Residents to Pursue Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Training. Acad Psychiatry 46, 18–24 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40596-021-01554-4
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40596-021-01554-4