Core Competencies for Pediatric Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship Training.

BackgroundLearners developing competency-based skills, attitudes, and knowledge through the achievement of defined milestones is a core feature of competency-based medical education. In 2017, a special interest study group of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry convened a panel of specialists to describe pediatric consultation-liaison psychiatry (CLP) best educational practices during child and adolescent psychiatry fellowship.ObjectiveThe objective of this project was to develop a national consensus on pediatric CLP competencies to help guide training in this specialty.MethodsAn expert working group developed a list of candidate competences based on previously established educational outcomes for CLP (formerly Psychosomatic Medicine), child and adolescent psychiatry, and general psychiatry. A survey was distributed to members of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Physically Ill Child Committee to determine child and adolescent psychiatry fellowship educational needs on pediatric CLP services and generate consensus regarding pediatric CLP competencies.ResultsMost survey respondents were supportive of the need for a national consensus on core competencies for pediatric CLP. Consensus from a panel of experts in the field of pediatric CLP generated a list of proposed core competencies that track the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education's six core competencies.ConclusionsConsistent learning outcomes provide the foundation for further development of tools to support training in pediatric CLP. There is a need to develop further tools including outcome assessment instruments and self-directed learning materials that can be used to support lifelong learning.