Interdisciplinary education in adolescent health

Abstract To date, evidence suggests that, across disciplines, the educational preparation of health professionals has not kept pace. Those involved in the education of clinicians, researchers, and educators in adolescent health are currently faced with the need to rethink traditional educational strategies. Concurrent with a shift in the primary causes of morbidity and mortality in adolescence, from infectious to social aetiologies, is an emerging clarity about the success of integrated comprehensive service settings in addressing adolescents' health needs. One approach for better preparing health providers to work in multiservice settings is to provide training in interdisciplinary programmes. Various models for interdisciplinary education in adolescent health exist; characteristics common to all are delineated. Whereas obstacles to the creation and implementation of interdisciplinary programmes, including institutional, financial, and educational barriers, are great, the need to overcome them is critical if we are to keep pace with the changing needs of the adolescent population.