How ACAAM Established a Weekly, Fellowship-Run, Conflict-of-Interest-Free Addiction Medicine Curriculum

The ACAAM National Addiction Medicine Didactic Curriculum is a weekly, fellowship-run didactic experience for addiction medicine fellows and faculty. The curriculum sessions are now in their second year, having launched at the beginning of the 2020-2021 academic year. Each week, dozens of addiction medicine fellowship program faculty and fellows convene for live Zoom sessions and to hear an expert speak on different addiction medicine topics. The topics are mapped to the American Board of Preventive Medicine (ABPM) addiction medicine exam blueprint as well as the ACGME medical competencies. In addition to faculty and fellows, sessions are open to all health care professionals and trainees interested in expanding their education about treating and assessing patients with substance use disorders.

During the June 2021 Annual Meeting’s Fellows Lightning Round session, Nicholas Chien, MD presented “Expanding Addiction Medicine Education Beyond A Traditional Fellowship: Local and National Endeavors.” Dr. Chien is a 2021 graduate of Rush University Medical Center’s addiction medicine fellowship program.

Dr. Chien’s presentation highlights three educational endeavors that addiction medicine fellows can participate in throughout their fellowship. From online courses and webinars to cross-institutional collaborations, these local and national endeavors are what make the addiction medicine fellowship a platform for educational excellence.

72 Participating Fellowships will Begin Making Offers for 2022-23 Positions on October 18

In a move to bring greater consistency and transparency to the fellowship application process, the majority of Addiction Medicine programs have agreed to participate in a “common decision date” for the current recruitment cycle. Under the agreement, the participating fellowships (85% of ACGME-accredited Addiction Medicine programs) will begin making offers for 2022-23 positions on October 18.

The “common decision date” agreement is designed to give candidates and participating fellowships alike a reasonable period of time to conduct interviews and assess options. Fellowships had traditionally started making offers on individual timelines, but that uncoordinated arrangement had become stressed as the number of programs and candidates grew.

More than 30 ADM Fellowship Programs Enrolled as ACAAM Members

The American College of Addiction Medicine (ACAAM) has established itself as the go-to resource and advocate for academic addiction medicine fellowship programs. Today the organization is excited to announce it has exceeded 30 fellowship program institutional members, with a total of 32 programs currently enrolled. The ACAAM membership program was launched in May 2021.

“We are ecstatic to see fellowship programs enrolling as members and unlocking access to valuable benefits and resources for the faculty and fellows in their programs,” says ACAAM Membership Committee Chair, Alex Walley, MD. “The more programs that join our ACAAM membership coalition, the stronger our voices will be as we continue to advocate for resources needed to expand a fellowship-trained addiction medicine workforce.”

Apply to the Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Recovery Loan Repayment Program

Applications for up to $250,000 in educational debt relief are being accepted until July 22, 2021, 7:30 pm ET under the federal Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Recovery Loan Repayment Program (STAR LRP).

Addiction Medicine physicians are among the medical, nursing, and behavioral/mental health clinicians eligible for the new program offered by the Health Resources and Services Administration. Recipients must commit to working for six years in a full-time substance use position at an approved facility in an area that has an elevated overdose mortality rate or is classified as a Mental Health Professional Shortage Area. Eligibility is limited to U.S. citizens, nationals, and permanent residents.

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OFFICIAL STATEMENT

Contact: Bruce Hammond, CAE
Executive Director
847-375-4814
[email protected]

Attributable to ACAAM President, Martha Wunsch, MD FAAP DFSAM:

Mr. Hammond Will Help Lead and Support ACAAM’s Urgent Mission of Creating Addiction Medicine Fellowship Training Programs, Picking Up on Progress Made Under Dr. Kevin Kunz’s Leadership

Bethesda, Maryland – December 17, 2020 – The American College of Academic Addiction Medicine (ACAAM) today announced the appointment of Bruce E. Hammond, Jr., CAE, as Executive Director, effective January 1, 2021. Mr. Hammond will step into the new position following the long-planned end-of-year retirement of Kevin Kunz, MD MPH DFSAM, founding ACAAM President (2008) and Executive Vice President since 2013. ACAAM was formerly known as the ABAM Foundation and Addiction Medicine Foundation.

Mr. Hammond will work closely with the ACAAM Board of Directors and ACAAM Vice President for Medical and Academic Affairs Tim Brennan, MD MPH to help fulfill the organization’s mission.  ACAAM’s mission is the development and comprehensive support of addiction medicine fellowship programs, faculty and fellows at academic medical institutions and treatment centers across the U.S. There are currently 81 addiction medicine fellowship programs recognized and accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), with more programs in development.