Youth Friendly Doctor

Overview

Adolescence presents a challenging time for many young people. Their inexperience and propensity for risk-taking can result in unhealthy choices that can impact adversely on physical, mental and social well-being. Faced with a problem, many fail to seek help unless in crisis.

The AMA Foundation is committed to supporting young people through their adolescent years and has identified three principal areas of need. These are:

• Successful engagement with young people around their own issues
• Information and skills for young people that may help reduce risks to themselves and others
• Improved access to primary health services

Two complementary programs have been developed. These are Dr YES, a preventative health education program for young people and Youth Friendly Doctor, a GP educational program designed to enhance competence and improve adolescent access to primary health care.

The Youth Friendly Doctor program seeks to build competency and capacity among doctors currently in practice in the development of adolescent friendly health care providers and the promotion of adolescent friendly policies, procedures and facilities. Training is delivered by a range of expert presenters from agencies providing specialist services to adolescents (legal, alcohol and drugs, sexual and mental health). This serves to promote a partnership approach in the provision of a seamless care pathway, further helping to break down barriers to effective health care.

Medical Practices

The Youth Friendly Doctor program consists of two core modules and four elective modules. Doctors completing the core modules plus one elective module can apply to be formally accredited as a Youth Friendly Doctor but many GPs complete all the modules that may also be used as credits towards the Diploma of Community Services – Youth Work.

Recommended For

All general practitioners and other medical professionals with an interest in youth health.

Learning Outcomes

The learning outcomes for Youth Friendly Doctor training are:

• Improved understanding of adolescent development
• Up-to-date knowledge of specific youth health issues and trends
• The ability to engage more effectively with adolescent patients and their parents, and manage challenging consultations
• Improved knowledge of the ethical and legal issues that may affect consultations with young patients

Added Benefits

Accredited Youth Friendly Doctors will receive a comprehensive resource kit and materials (including posters and stickers) to identify their practice as "Youth Friendly" to young people. In addition, Youth Friendly Doctors will be eligible to have their practice details listed on the AMA (WA) website.

Registration

Expressions of Interest should be completed using the AMA Training Registration form. Doctors will be contacted and provided with further information, including a comprehensive program and course notes.

Core Module

Module One - How to connect with young people and assess their psycho-social wellbeing

• Workshop One - Ethics and the Law in Young People: Capacity, Consent and Confidentiality
  Enhances understanding of the ethical and legal issues that doctors face when working with young people.
• Workshop Two - The Psycho-Social Wellbeing of Young People
  Covers depression, anxiety and eating disorders, common behavioural disorders and psychosis. Referral services are also discussed.

Elective Modules

Module Two – Risk taking by adolescents – Reducing harms relating to alcohol, sex and drugs

• Workshop One: Assessing Impact of Alcohol and Drug Use in Young People and Management Options
  Provides doctors with up-to-date knowledge of current norms and trends in drug taking by young people, the features of problem drug and alcohol use, and the interventions that doctors can offer. Referral services are also discussed.
• Workshop Two: Young People's Sexual Health
  Focuses on adolescent sexuality, contraception, sexually transmitted infections, termination of pregnancy and the management of sexual assault.

Module Three – Working with young people and their eating behaviours

• Workshop One: Managing Overweight and Obesity in Young People
  Addresses what is widely acknowledged as one of the most prevalent and serious health issues facing young people and wider society - overweight and obesity. Doctors will gain a greater understanding of causes and management strategies.
• Workshop Two: Eating Disorders in Young People
  Focuses on a range of eating disorder's including anorexia and bulimia. This workshop complements the ‘Managing Overweight and Obesity in Young People' workshop and doctors will benefit greatly from case study discussion.
  

Continuing Professional Development (CPD points)

The AMA in Western Australia has been recognised by the Royal Australian College of General Practices as an accredited provider of GP training. Each module (two workshops) is approved at 40 Category One CPD points.

Course Details

The Youth Friendly Doctor Training Program is offered at no cost to AMA Members. The general cost of course fees is based on funding support available. Please check at time of enrolment.

For more information, or to enrol in YFD Training, visit the YFD Training page.