addiction medicine certification

[AKMD_1984]

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Hi

I am a pain medicine physician, with anesthesiology as my residency.
I wanted to get cerification in addiction medicine.
Is there a route to obtain certification without doing a 1 year fellowship?
I mean I see and manage a lot of opiod addiction..

-AK

 

[gutonc]

Well, the national society (ASAM) seems to suggest that, yes, there is a path to do so without completing a fellowship. But there's no useful information from the relevant board (ABAM) on anything other than MOC. In fact, here's the page on how to get initially certified.

Also - and I don't want to condone cross-posting here - you may get better information in the Pain forum.

 

[Raryn]

Well, the national society (ASAM) seems to suggest that, yes, there is a path to do so without completing a fellowship. But there's no useful information from the relevant board (ABAM) on anything other than MOC. In fact, here's the page on how to get initially certified.

Also - and I don't want to condone cross-posting here - you may get better information in the Pain forum.

To be honest, he'd probably be better off trying the psychiatry forum than the pain one. Addiction Medicine is a different specialty than Addiction Psychiatry, but psychiatrists in general are the ones more likely to do it.

That said, it also isn't an ACGME accredited field yet, so they are allowing people who haven't done an addiction medicine fellowship to take the test. That path will presumably be closed 2-3 years after they join the ABMS. I have no clue what the requirements are to sign up for it right now though.

 

[gutonc]

To be honest, he'd probably be better off trying the psychiatry forum than the pain one. Addiction Medicine is a different specialty than Addiction Psychiatry, but psychiatrists in general are the ones more likely to do it.

That said, it also isn't an ACGME accredited field yet, so they are allowing people who haven't done an addiction medicine fellowship to take the test. That path will presumably be closed 2-3 years after they join the ABMS. I have no clue what the requirements are to sign up for it right now though.

I actually did a little research on this (probably more than the OP did honestly).

There are 2 paths to Addiction Med certification. One is through ABPN and requires Psych/Neuro as a background. The other is through IM, FM, Gas and as of this March is ABMS recognized. So the Psych pathway is likely to be irrelevant to the OP.

I mentioned Pain because that's a more common path to addiction med than IM is.

Although it's unclear what the point of getting an addiction med board cert is for the OP. I mean, I deal with a lot of opioid addiction too. But I have less than no interest in another board cert for that.

 

[AKMD_1984]

I actually did a little research on this (probably more than the OP did honestly).

There are 2 paths to Addiction Med certification. One is through ABPN and requires Psych/Neuro as a background. The other is through IM, FM, Gas and as of this March is ABMS recognized. So the Psych pathway is likely to be irrelevant to the OP.

I mentioned Pain because that's a more common path to addiction med than IM is.

Although it's unclear what the point of getting an addiction med board cert is for the OP. I mean, I deal with a lot of opioid addiction too. But I have less than no interest in another board cert for that.

The "OP" wants to officially credential himself, and perform addiction medicine services at his hospital where he is the solo pain physician primarily doing interventional pain medicine 4 x 10 hr days in clinic, one day of OR anesthesia, and is asked to wean people off opiates. A mess he inherited from 20 + PCPs

 

[Mikado8]

Because of new ABMS subspecialty status, there will be no ABAM board exam in 2016 and I am fairly sure that it will now be required to do a 1yr fellowship in order to obtain certification. Furthermore, all who took the ABAM exam prior to 2015 will have to rewrite the new exam that is set out to start in 2017.

 

[gutonc]

The "OP" ... is asked to wean people off opiates. A mess he inherited from 20 + PCPs

My pain management "team" states up front (and every time you talk to them) that they won't adjust (either up or down), or prescribe, opiates. You could do the same.

 

[Promethean]

My pain management "team" states up front (and every time you talk to them) that they won't adjust (either up or down), or prescribe, opiates. You could do the same.

They won't adjust down? Where is the benefit of that? I'd think that helping someone taper down their use would always be a great idea, especially if they were seeking to do so. What is the drawback of that which I am missing?

 

[AKMD_1984]

My pain management "team" states up front (and every time you talk to them) that they won't adjust (either up or down), or prescribe, opiates. You could do the same.

That is not always practical.
Often, the pain physician is the best physician to monitor titration of opiates and at the same time, perform pain relieving procedures in a multi-disciplinary setting.

 

[gutonc]

That is not always practical.
Often, the pain physician is the best physician to monitor titration of opiates and at the same time, perform pain relieving procedures in a multi-disciplinary setting.

I'm not arguing with you. I'm just saying that I can't see a practical reason to seek another certification when you're already doing what you seem to want to do.

 

[Raryn]

They won't adjust down? Where is the benefit of that? I'd think that helping someone taper down their use would always be a great idea, especially if they were seeking to do so. What is the drawback of that which I am missing?

The ones I've referred to won't give the patient new scrips for opiates. Obviously they're happy if use decreases, but initiating a taper would imply prescribing them yourself.

 

[AKMD_1984]

I'm not arguing with you. I'm just saying that I can't see a practical reason to seek another certification when you're already doing what you seem to want to do.

Because there is obviously a benefit to be credentialed. More business for one.
As you stated, your pain management "team" doesn't want to manage opiates. No one wants to manage opiates. Its not fun and all liability. But there is a huge need and I do it simply because it is a service asked of me.