* 4 years: Undergraduate education (Bachelor's degree). While not always required, most medical school applicants have a bachelor's degree.
* 4 years: Medical school (MD or DO degree).
* 3 years: Residency in Pediatrics. Adolescent medicine is a subspecialty of pediatrics.
* Variable: Fellowship in Adolescent Medicine (typically 1-2 years). This is not always required, but highly recommended for those who want to specialize fully in adolescent medicine.
Therefore, the minimum is 11 years (4+4+3) and up to 12 years (4+4+3+1 or 4+4+3+2).