Online Training Courses and Distance Learning Programs in Child Psychopharmacology (aka "Pediatric Psychopharmacology")

The need for new, high quality online learning courses in pediatric pharmacology (specifically child psychopharmacology) has never been greater.  More and more, parents are turning to their primary care doctors to get help for child mental health problems, in view of the continuing severe shortages of child and adolescent psychiatrists.  Leaving the office to travel to a distant city for 2-3 days for a continuing medical educational program (CME) can be a barrier to learning for many physicians and other primary care practitioners , if one considers all of the costs - loss of practice income, hotel, meals, and travel expenses, plus the costs of the continuing education program itself.

The Need for Online and Distance Learning Training Programs in Child Pharmacology

Understanding the urgent need for more accessible continuing education training programs, the REACH Institute is pioneering new online training courses in child psychopharmacology (also sometimes called pediatric psychopharmacology) delivered via the web, using a combination of 2 state of the art but different learning approaches: 1) asynchronous: video materials (e.g., brief didactic video lectures and vignettes), followed by personal application and practice, quizzes, and downloadable clinical tools, all of which will facilitate your learning at your own convenience, anytime day or night;  or synchonous: interactive webinars organized into small peer learning groups, with live demonstrations of techniques, role plays, and interactive group work all delivered live over the web, coupled with the availability all of the online learning materials listed under the first option. These synchronous training programs are scheduled at a times convenient for busy practitioners, such as during the noon hour, early mornings, or at the end of the work day.

Skills Taught  and Topics Covered in REACH's Online Learning Programs in Child Psychopharmacology

In both types of distance learning programs, primary care doctors and other clinicians learn the key skills and pearls that will help you obtain all of the essential assessment information, and arrive at an accurate diagnosis.  Video vigenettes and demonstrations of clinicians who are interviewing and evaluating patients the "right way" vs. the "wrong way" are offered.  Webinars in synchronous trainings provide live demonstrations of the optimal interviewing and diagnostic methods. Clinicians are also taught the use of rating scales and other assessment tools that can efficiently guide through your differential diagnosis.  Even better, you will learn which billing codes can be used so that you can get paid for this work.  Depending on how many online learning modules you enroll in, these distance learning programs address all of the key diagnosis and treatment challenges now faced by primary care clinicians: the diagnosis of childhood anxiety disorders, depression, ADHD (including complicated, comorbid cases), aggression, autism and spectrum disorders, and tics.  Specialized courses in child/pediatric psychopharmacology will also soon be ready as "advanced" topics for those who have mastered the earlier programs, and cover complicated topics such as how to reduce polypharmacy, manage side effects, and provide ongoing monitoring of complex medication regimens.  If you are interested in any of these new online learning programs, contact Lisa Hunter Romanelli, PhD, Executive Director of the REACH Institute via the "Contact" link at the bottom of this webpage.