Does early mentorship in child and adolescent psychiatry make a difference? The Klingenstein Third-Generation Foundation Medical Student Fellowship Program.

OBJECTIVE: There is a critical shortage of child and adolescent psychiatrists in the United States. Increased exposure, through mentorship, clinical experiences, and research opportunities, may increase the number of medical students selecting child and adolescent psychiatry (CAP) as a career choice.

METHOD: Between 2008 and 2011, 241 first-year participants of a program to increase exposure to CAP, funded by the Klingenstein Third-Generation Foundation (KTGF) at 10 medical schools completed baseline surveys assessing their opinions of and experiences in CAP, and 115 second-year participants completed follow-up surveys to reflect 1 year of experience in the KTGF Program.

RESULTS: Students reported significantly increased positive perception of mentorship for career and research guidance, along with perceived increased knowledge and understanding of CAP.

CONCLUSIONS: Results suggest that the KTGF Program positively influenced participating medical students, although future studies are needed to determine whether these changes will translate into more medical students entering the field of CAP.