IPC Academy Provides Psychiatric Education to Medical Students

Exposing junior and senior year medical students to psychiatric education could close the gap on psychiatry provider shortage.

Since the establishment of Integrated Psychiatric Consultants (IPC) in 2002, Dr. Vishal Adma, President and CEO, and Dr. Jyotsna Adma, Executive Medical Director, have engaged with hundreds of medical students seeking experiences in psychiatry. Through these encounters, they became aware of a need for high-quality psychiatric education in Kansas City and surrounding areas.

What is Child and Adolescent Psychiatry?

The child and adolescent psychiatrist is a physician who specializes in the diagnosis and the treatment of disorders of thinking, feeling and/or behavior affecting children, adolescents, and their families. A child and adolescent psychiatrist offers families the advantages of a medical education, the medical traditions of professional ethics, and medical responsibility for providing comprehensive care.

Demand for Psychiatric Education is High

In response to the growing demand for trained psychiatric providers, Drs. Adma took it upon themselves to provide education and supervision. Each year, they have matched a few medical students to IPC care providers for hands-on training opportunities through partnering organizations. 

Nevertheless, the demand has continued to skyrocket. On July 24, 2023, these outreach efforts manifested in the creation of IPC Academy, a training program that is tailored to providing rich, interest-specific psychiatric education.

“Each year, we have strived to understand all that goes into a high-quality psychiatric education by speaking with students and hearing their needs,” said Dr. Jyotsna Adma, Director of IPC Academy. “We are thrilled to now open IPC Academy and offer a comprehensive approach to teach the next generation about the field of behavioral and mental health.”

Following a cohort model, the Academy intends to educate over 100 third-year and fourth-year medical students this summer and fall. The students will not only collaborate with their designated provider, but also receive ongoing education on various topics of interest, including psychiatric diagnosis and evaluations. 

Hands-on Training for Psychiatry

Additionally, students will gain hands-on experience interviewing patients, gathering collateral information, and presenting their cases to the attending. 

“We will provide opportunities to learn about and experience the subspecialties of psychiatry and experience them based on the students’ interests,” said Kate Helfrich, IPC Academy Program Manager. “They are always free to ask questions when they find something interesting and provide their input in multidisciplinary treatment teams.”

Over time, the Academy will expand from medical students to also include psychiatric residents, psychiatric nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and other health care providers. 

For more information on IPC Academy, please contact:

Kate Helfrich, IPC Academy Program Manager, khelfrich@integrated-pc.com