Addiction Medicine Fellowship - The University of Iowa Addiction Medicine Fellowship (UI AMF) project will increase the number of board-certified addiction medicine specialist physicians practicing in rural and other community-based, medically underserved communities in Iowa. In response to the growing need for physicians with specialty training in addiction medicine, in 2019 Iowa Healthcare started a fellowship in addiction medicine. Initially approved to train one fellow annually, in 2021, the program was approved to train 2 fellows annually. If awarded, this project will expand the fellowship to train 3 fellows annually, for a total of 15 over the course of the 5-year project. The full-time 1-year fellowship, hosted by the Department of Psychiatry, accepts applications from physicians who have completed specialty training in Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, Obstetrics/Gynecology, Pediatrics, Emergency Medicine, Anesthesia, Preventive Medicine, or Psychiatry. The program aims to recruit physicians from different specialties to train in addiction medicine and then practice in community-based settings, and care for medically underserved populations, so all Iowans with substance use disorders get high quality, evidence-based care no matter where or how they access the health care system. The project will accomplish the following objectives: 1) Increase the number of addiction medicine sub-specialists trained to practice in medically underserved community-based settings, including rural areas, that integrate primary care with mental health and SUD prevention and treatment services. 2) Increase fellows’ knowledge and ability to assist their patients with referrals to navigate the legal and social systems related to patients’ clinical needs or care. 3) Increase awareness of addiction medicine as a sub-specialty and reduce provider stigma to increase the number of physicians interested in pursuing careers in addiction medicine and addiction psychiatry through the provision of clinical rotations that expose medical residents to practice in these specialties and through education and consultation. UIHC Addiction Medicine fellows will rotate in a variety of clinical settings, providing high quality addiction care including medications for addiction treatment to patients across the lifespan. Educational experiences will occur at sites including Iowa Health Care, Iowa City Veterans Affairs Healthcare System, Area Substance Abuse Council, Abbe Center for Community Mental Health, and Prairie Ridge Integrated Behavioral Healthcare. Fellows will work in interprofessional teams to integrate medical treatment, psychosocial interventions, and recovery support services. Unique experiences for fellows include a new rural rotation, a mobile clinic, an addiction medicine consult service, opportunities to provide care to adolescents, pregnant and parenting mothers, Veterans, incarcerated and formerly incarcerated populations, rural and medically underserved populations. Fellows will work in multidisciplinary teams and gain skills in telehealth, quality improvement, integrated care, teaching, leadership, and advocacy. In addition to training more board-certified addiction medicine physicians, this project will enhance collaboration between the project’s clinical sites, reduce stigma about substance disorders and addiction medicine, increase interest in rural health, and train addiction medicine physicians to be role models, advocates, and future leaders.
