Developing Addiction Medicine Fellowships

The number of Addiction Medicine Fellowship has grown rapidly, as has the number of highly trained physicians graduating from these one-year, post-residency programs. Nevertheless, the need for additional fellowship-trained physicians continues to outstrip existing training capacity. More than half of all medical schools still lack a fellowship, and fellowships operate in only a fraction of the hospitals, community sites and other facilities eligible to sponsor ACGME-accredited training programs. This session will provide an in-depth review of the current status of fellowship programs, as well as practical information for those who are interested in developing a new program or pursuing fellowship training. The presenters are leaders of the American College of Academic Addiction Medicine (ACAAM), which is the organization that has led fellowship development for the past decade and is committed to supporting the continued growth and improvement of graduate medical education in Addiction Medicine. Topics addressed will include recent developments, such as the introduction of virtual meetings and related activities to help promote collaboration and group learning in the growing academic addiction medicine community. The session will also provide detailed guidance on the process of creating a fellowship program, with particular emphasis on the steps required for completing a successful application to the ACGME. The presenters are themselves the program directors of long-established fellowships, and they will provide useful tips based on their own experience with the application process as well as other important issues, such as fellowship recruitment and funding. For providers who are interested in pursuing fellowship training, the presenters will offer an inside view of the type of clinical experiences and educational activities that can be expected. The session will include ample opportunity for participants to ask questions and engage in discussion with the presenters.