ADDICTION MEDICINE

Trainees will gain expertise in:

• Assessment and management of patients with various substance use disorders.

• Assessment and management of co-occurring psychiatric co-morbidities.

• Understanding the different levels of care, as defined by ASAM: including Intensive Outpatient Programs (IOP), Partial Hospitalization Programs (PHP), Hospital Care, Residential Treatment Centers (RTC), Social Model Detoxification Centers, Sober Livings, etc.

• Gain comfort in managing acute withdrawal and intoxication states.

• Management of chronic pain, especially in the setting of addiction.

• Management, including the treatment of, HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis C.

• The various counselling strategies from cognitive behavioral therapy to peer and groups to 12 steps.

• Management of addiction during pregnancy including medication assisted treatment.

• Management of Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome in the NICU and outpatient methadone tapers.

• Harm reduction strategies such as naloxone distribution, clean needle exchange, etc.

• Teaching the fundamentals of addiction to primary care residents at the Ventura County Family Medicine Residency Program and other clinics and health care facilities in our county.

• Managing sobriety through medication assisted treatment.

• Research: There will be allocated time for a research project during the fellowship. Fellow will present their research project to the VCMC community via Grand Rounds prior to completion of fellowship.

• Leadership: Participate in hospital, clinical, insurance, and other local committees such as the MERIT (Medication Error Reduction Team), CORE Committee (Chronic Opiate Review and Evaluation), Gold Coast HCP Opioid Committee.

• Experience locations include:

  • Emergency Department and Inpatient Training including the inpatient consultation service: Ventura County Medical Center

  • Outpatient training: Addiction Clinic for the Homeless, Academic Family Medicine Center Primary Care Clinic, and our satellite primary care clinics.

  • Behavioral Health Training: Rotating with Ventura County Behavior Health Alcohol and Drug Program, Psychiatry, Psychology, and AA/NA.

  • Residential Treatment Centers/Detox Centers: Multiple community stakeholders and organizations including Prototypes Women’s Center, Changing Tides, and others.

  • Methadone: Rotations with Aegis Treatment Centers.

  • Pain Management: Rotations with Pain Specialist at VCMC – inpatient consultations and outpatient.

  • Obstetrics: VCMC and Prototypes.

  • Neonatal: VCMC NICU and outpatient clinics.

  • Tele-addiction training.

• Academics: Precepting and Teaching at the Academic Family Medicine Center Family Medicine Residency Clinic.