Pursuing a career in CAMHS was something that I decided when I was a Psychiatric trainee in my second year of core training. As part of the training we rotate through different placement and I chose CAMHS and happened to be placed on Irwin, an eating disorders unit in Parkview clinic. There, I saw what it was like to be a child psychiatrist, to work with the wider MDT and to help young people with significant mental health difficulties. Though, it was very early on in my training, and I tried many other specialties, my mind did not change.
Now as a CAMHS trainee, I continue to develop my skills and my knowledge base. I have had so far a wide range of experiences from Community Work in CAMHS outpatient clinics to Inpatient units.
During my ST4 year, I worked in Canalside CAMHS Clinic, in Walsall. There I had the opportunity to work with young people suffering with a variety of conditions including neurodevelopmental disorders, affective disorders, psychotic and emerging personality disorders. As well as expanding my knowledge base, I had the opportunity to work closely withing an MDT setting and had the opportunity to shadow other health professionals including psychologists and family therapists. I had the chance to learn to organise my workload and attend meetings that you normally may not be able to, such as Professional meetings at schools, CETR meetings and even inpatient CPA’s. I also managed to pursue a special interest in Learning Disabilities working closely with Learning Disability team in Canalside.
For ST5 I worked in an inpatient setting in Parkview clinic, where I returned after my CT2 training. As a higher trainee, I had the opportunity to be involved both in assessments, decision making, mental health act assessments and wider every day clinical decision making.
The overall training experience in the West Midlands has been overwhelmingly positive and has only strengthened my resolve to continue and complete my training in CAMHS. West Midlands is where I have lived for the duration of my training and this is where I plan to continue practicing as a Child Psychiatrist.
Dr Andreas Kitsios (ST5)
Written in September 2020