The adolescent and young adult years are designed by nature to be the healthiest in the human lifespan. This means that many of the causes of illness during this time are behavioral or emotional, rather than physical in origin. Examples include substance abuse, depression, symptoms related to stress, and eating disorders. I practice integrative medicine whenever possible, which means that care is much more than just writing a prescription.
A treatment plan for a patient with depression might include medication, but also personalized recommendations such nature walks, art or music, journal writing, meditation, ways to improve sleep quality, or changes in eating habits. Getting to the root of complex problems and treating them comprehensively often takes time, and a flexible appointment structure makes that time available.
I also view my relationship with my patients as a partnership, and work to empower my patients to take an active role in their health care. There is a natural continuum from the ten-year-old who is dependent on a parent to convey their family health history and childhood illnesses, to the college student who can confidently use this information during a visit to the student health center. Over a period of years, each patient is taught what they need to know when they go to an emergency room or see a new doctor.