Enhanced Skills - Program Information - Addiction Medicine
Program Description
Addiction Medicine R3 Program is a one year enhanced skills program in various areas of Addiction Medicine. On completion of the year, the candidate will have gained enhanced skills in the areas of Withdrawal Management, Opioid Agonist Therapy, Brief Intervention, Motivation Interviewing, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Trauma Therapy, Management of Concurrent Disorders including Psychiatric Disorders and Chronic Pain, Pharmacotherapy for various substances of abuse and able to manage the disease of Addiction both in an outpatient and inpatient setting.
The candidate will be able to make a proper assessment on a patient with an addiction, create a proper treatment plan, manage the patient while in treatment and be comfortable in transitioning the patient from treatment into the community and into continuing care. The candidate will also be able to manage patients with with concurrent mental health and addiction as well as chronic pain.
Timeline
The candidate will be exposed to various areas of Addiction Medicine. The rotations go as follows:
The candidate will spend 3 rotations working in the areas of Withdrawal Management (Detoxification) at the Renfrew Recovery Centre and Opioid Agonist Maintenance (Buprenorphine, Methadone, and Slow Release Oral Morphine) at the Calgary Opioid Dependency Program.
The candidate will spend 1 rotation at the Rapid Access Addiction Medicine (RAAM).
The candidate will spend 3 rotations working with the inpatient hospital addiction consult team (Foothills Medical Centre, Peter Lougheed Centre ARCH Program and Rockyview General Hospital). In those 3 months, the candidate will also work with the Adolescent Addiction Treatment (Foothills Addiction Centre Adolescent Program), and the Foothills Addiction Centre Concurrent Disorders Outpatient program.
The candidate will spend 2 rotations working at the Claresholm Centre of Mental Health and Addiction Concurrent Disorders Inpatient Program.
The candidate will spend 1 rotation working in chronic pain management through the Chronic Pain Centre.
The candidate will spend 1 rotation working with Inner City Medicine at CUPS.
The candidate will have 2 rotations for electives related to the field of Addiction Medicine.
The candidate will have an opportunity for teaching and research.
Evaluation
Evaluation of the candidate will be determined by the preceptor's assessment of clinical competence and knowledge utilizing the One45 evaluation tool at the end of each rotation or elective. Candidates have also the option although it is not necessary to obtain Certification by the International Society of Addiction Medicine or American Board of Addiction Medicine as these are the current two avenues to obtain Certification by the Canadian Society of Addiction Medicine.
Application Process
Applicants must apply through CaRMS. Please refer to the Prospective Enhanced Skills Applicants page for application information.
For queries regarding the search and selection process, please contact Enhanced Skills Program Coordinator at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Enhanced Skills Orientation
Please note, regardless of the Enhanced Skills Program start date, all Residents are required to attend the July orientation, which is a mandatory event. The orientation is always scheduled for the first business day in July from 1-4pm.
Contacts
Program Coordinator - Luz Bolo - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Program Director - Dr. Lydia Vezina, MD and Dr. Alvis Yu MD