The World Health Organization defines 'adolescents' as anyone between the ages of 10 and 19, and 'youth' as those between 15 and 24. The RACP uses the terms 'young people' and 'adolescent and young adult' to cover the whole range of 10 to 24 years. Regardless of how it's defined, the transition from childhood to adulthood involves a range of physical, mental, and psychosocial issues. If you're a teenager with a chronic health condition, the situation can be even harder.

For physicians in Australia and New Zealand, there has been no specific training to meet the needs of adolescents—until now. Over the past few years, the RACP has been working to create an adolescent and young adult medicine curriculum, which will become a dual training program in 2017. On this episode Prof Kate Steinbeck FRACP, Dr Michelle Telfer FRACP, and Dr Bridget Farrant FRACP talk about why adolescents and young adults need targeted care and the issues they face in the current system. They also discuss the new curriculum, and how interested Fellows and Trainees can get involved.

View the RACP's curated collection on adolescent and young adult health for an expanded guide to CPD tools.

 This episode was produced by Alastair Wilson and Anne Fredrickson, with music from Podington Bear ("Now Son," "Whiplash String Swells," "Filaments"), and Kevin MacLeod ("Funkorama"); image courtesy Andy Maguire.

Editorial feedback was provided by RACP Fellows Prof Shanthi Ameratunga and A/Prof Jane Holmes-Walker, Advanced Trainee Dr Emma Mitchell and RACP staff member Ms Veronica Vogel.

Please visit the RACP website for a transcript embedded with citations. Fellows of the College can claim CPD credits for listening and additional reading.