What is adolescent medicine? Adolescent medicine aims to address
medical and psychosocial questions and conditions affecting
adolescents at the time they enter puberty – for girls typically
ages 9-11 and boys ages 11-14 – until about the time they are
21. Practitioners with this specialty are trained in pediatric
medicine, family medicine or internal medicine and choose to
focus on adolescent medicine as a subspecialty. They complete an
adolescent fellowship – two years of additional study for family
practitioners and internists, and three years’ additional study
for pediatricians. Conditions a practitioner treats range from
acne to mental illness, pregnancy or precocious puberty (puberty
that occurs unusually early on), and more.When do I seek out a
practitioner specializing in adolescent medicine, and what
should I expect? Adolescence can be a tumultuous time. It’s a
stage of development filled with concerns that are best
addressed with the help and support of a medical professional
who can help guide teens