Addiction Medicine Fellowships (multi-specialty)

[MADD!!!]

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Why has there been such a dramatic increase in addiction medicine fellowships? I know that we do have a drug epidemic, but am wondering have job prospects increased dramatically to help fill positions for all of these new fellowships opening up? I guess I would like to learn more about what is going on from people who know more about this.

 

[Sushirolls]

All the reasons you can imagine. Neglected population and specialty. There are jobs out there. Addiction psychiatry only takes psych, and psychiatry didn't meet the demands of the country. As a result Addiction Medicine grew to be the dominant force, and even a very large chunk is actually psychiatrists, too. The fellowships even serve as a means for FM and IM and others to jump ship from their primary specialty. Its an exit. Since we don't have the luxury to change our specialty (within the confines of current system) like a PA and some ARNP can, a one year fellowship is the next best thing for a career change up.

Granted, plenty of people do the fellowships for sincere interest in the field and advancement for knowledge and practice, which is the bulk people.

 

[splik]

its a scam for more indentured servitude. there is now board certification in addiction medicine, so in a few yrs it will be required to complete an ACGME accredited fellowship in addiction medicine. rather than expand the addiction workforce, this will actually massively narrow the number of people able to get boarded in addictions once grandfathering is over. it was a horrible mistake that was entirely self-serving.

 

[MADD!!!]

its a scam for more indentured servitude. there is now board certification in addiction medicine, so in a few yrs it will be required to complete an ACGME accredited fellowship in addiction medicine. rather than expand the addiction workforce, this will actually massively narrow the number of people able to get boarded in addictions once grandfathering is over. it was a horrible mistake that was entirely self-serving.

What do you mean by indentured servitude? So you would essentially be doing a 1 year fellowship in a specialty with little job prospects? What would motivate more people to fill these spots then?

 

[clausewitz2]

What do you mean by indentured servitude? So you would essentially be doing a 1 year fellowship in a specialty with little job prospects? What would motivate more people to fill these spots then?

I think he means being forced to do attending work for a year for a fraction of attending money operating clinics/services that would never be solvent if they actually had to pay competitive wages. Also no incentive to go out of their way to retain people because someone is coming up behind you. Being worked like a rented mule optional depending on program, I imagine.

 

[MADD!!!]

I think he means being forced to do attending work for a year for a fraction of attending money operating clinics/services that would never be solvent if they actually had to pay competitive wages. Also no incentive to go out of their way to retain people because someone is coming up behind you. Being worked like a rented mule optional depending on program, I imagine.

That system doesn’t sound like it would last very long... I doubt all of these institutions are rolling out this program for that reason.

 

[clausewitz2]

That system doesn’t sound like it would last very long... I doubt all of these institutions are rolling out this program for that reason.

Oh sweet summer child

 

[TexasPhysician]

I’m addiction boarded as well. Addiction jobs are popping up more frequently as with more addiction centers. Outpatient Suboxone prescribing is still limited too I believe.

Addiction medicine via multi-specialty attracts PCP’s looking for an escape. The pay is often a bit better than average pcp rates. The pay is typically lower than what psych typically makes.

If you envision constructing your own addiction center, a fellowship is probably worthwhile. If you enjoy it and want the experience, it is worth it. If you just want a job that makes good money, stick with gen psych.

 

[dl2dp2]

I’m addiction boarded as well. Addiction jobs are popping up more frequently as with more addiction centers. Outpatient Suboxone prescribing is still limited too I believe.

Addiction medicine via multi-specialty attracts PCP’s looking for an escape. The pay is often a bit better than average pcp rates. The pay is typically lower than what psych typically makes.

If you envision constructing your own addiction center, a fellowship is probably worthwhile. If you enjoy it and want the experience, it is worth it. If you just want a job that makes good money, stick with gen psych.

100% spot on.

I'd say fellowship is also helpful for marketing in an outpatient private practice setting. Patients do care if you've "done this before", but for most general psychiatrists doing a fellowship if you are not committing a large fraction of your practice to addiction PSYCHIATRY (i.e. sicker co-morbid patients), it's not financially particularly rewarding. PMDs also generally don't know how to run a psychiatry practice. It's a very different vibe and business model.

 

[ridethecliche]

I also think it's interdisciplinary because a lot of FM folks are doing this. A lot of FM-Psych residency folks are interested in the combined stuff because of addiction, imho. Also doing a year of addiction pscyh training is like a crash course in the gamut of psych pathology since there are so many underlying issues. I feel like it would really help those FM folks in underserved areas do a better job if there's way less of a chance that they can call on a psychiatrist to do anything.

 

[QofQuimica]

Why has there been such a dramatic increase in addiction medicine fellowships? I know that we do have a drug epidemic, but am wondering have job prospects increased dramatically to help fill positions for all of these new fellowships opening up? I guess I would like to learn more about what is going on from people who know more about this.

I don't know if this is true in all programs, but it seems that a lot of people who go the addiction med route are docs in recovery themselves, which I guess is understandable. Particularly if you're an anesthesiologist or otherwise have easy access to opioids, you probably aren't going to be able to go back to practicing in your primary specialty. And naturally you're going to be interested in the treatment of addiction if you're struggling with it yourself.