Psychiatry's Next Generation: Teaching College Students About Mental Health.
OBJECTIVE
The authors describe an integrated area of study for undergraduate college students that targets an increase in knowledge of mental health issues in children, adolescents, and emerging adults; encourages mental health service utilization on college campuses; and exposes young minds to the possibilities of working with children and adolescents in the mental health field.


METHODS
An overview of the program is provided, including the resources required to oversee and manage the program, student requirements, a description of the role that clinicians and researchers play as the program faculty, and an explanation of the tuition model.


RESULTS
The program currently includes 40 courses with an annual enrollment of over 3000 students, resulting in departmental revenues that currently exceed $11 million per year. Student evaluations of the courses are very positive, and in a program survey students reported that their participation in the program had a positive impact on their life (84.2%) and impacted their career choice (60.2%).


CONCLUSIONS
The benefits of the program include a valuable outreach to college students regarding the importance of seeking help for mental health issues, a positive influence on early career decision-making, opportunities for clinical and research educators to develop their scholarly areas of interest, and a significant source of departmental discretionary revenues.
New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, NY, USA. jess.shatkin@nyumc.org.
Jess P
JP
Shatkin
New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, NY, USA.
Ursula
U
Diamond
D000328:Adult; D003479:Curriculum; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011599:Psychopathology / Q000193:education*; D013334:Students; D014495:Universities / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055815:Young Adult
Child psychiatry; Mental health; Workforce