Substance Use Disorders Education Research Articles

Evaluating Stigma Toward Individuals With Substance Use Disorder Among Prelicensure Nursing Students

Background: Seventeen percent of individuals in the United States live with substance use disorder (SUD). Nursing curricula may not adequately address SUD, and stigma can impact care. Purpose: This project aimed to measure stigma toward people with SUD among nursing students. Methods: Surveys were administered to prelicensure nursing students. Stigma was measured using the Opening Minds Provider Attitudes Toward Opioid-Use Scale. Students were asked about personal experience with SUD and perceived adequacy of SUD-related curricula. Results: A total of 193 students participated. The mean stigma score was 31.35. Those with personal experience had lower stigma scores than those without ([95% CI 2.26-9.23]; P value = .0014). Most students (71.0%) desired to see content from individuals with lived experience incorporated into curriculum. Conclusion: Addressing stigma in SUD education is critical for improving future patient care. Nursing schools should consider incorporating stigma-reducing content, including perspectives from individuals with lived experiences, into SUD curricula.

Asynchronous online training increased knowledge, confidence, and intent to screen and treat substance use disorders among primary care clinicians practicing in Texas

IntroductionDespite increasing prevalence of substance use disorders (SUD), few patients are diagnosed and treated in primary care settings. This study evaluated changes in knowledge, confidence, and intention to implement screening and brief intervention (SBI) and SUD treatment after clinicians participated in an asynchronous online education course. MethodsA self-selected sample of primary care clinicians in Texas participated in online SBI and SUD education March 2021–July 2023. Baseline and post-training surveys evaluated changes in knowledge, confidence, and intent to implement SBI and SUD treatment. Changes were compared using paired t-tests. Multivariable linear regression examined factors potentially associated with confidence and intention to implement changes. Clinician feedback regarding the course was included. ResultsOf 613 respondents, 50.9% were practicing family medicine clinicians. Knowledge of adolescent screening tools increased from 21.9% to 75.7% (p < 0.001). Knowledge about the number of drinks that define excessive drinking among non-pregnant women increased from 24.5% at baseline to 64.9% (p < 0.001). Clinicians reported lowest confidence in providing opioid use disorder pharmacotherapy, which improved after program participation. Intent to implement SBI and medication for alcohol, nicotine and opioid use disorders increased (p < 0.001) after training. No factors were associated with change in confidence or intention to implement in multivariable models (p > 0.05). Satisfaction was high and nearly 60% reported intention to change their clinical practice because of the program. ConclusionKnowledge, confidence, and intent to implement SBI and SUD treatment increased after completing the online course. Clinician satisfaction was high and demonstrated improved intention to implement SBI and SUD treatment.

Patient and Staff Perspectives on the Impacts and Challenges of Hospital-Based Harm Reduction

Harm reduction is associated with improved health outcomes among people who use substances. As overdose deaths persist, hospitals are recognizing the need for harm reduction services; however, little is known about the outcomes of hospital-based harm reduction for patients and staff. To evaluate patient and staff perspectives on the impact and challenges of a hospital-based harm reduction program offering safer use education and supplies at discharge. This qualitative study consisted of 40-minute semistructured interviews with hospitalized patients receiving harm reduction services and hospital staff at an urban, safety-net hospital in California from October 2022 to March 2023. Purposive sampling allowed inclusion of diverse patient racial and ethnic identities, substance use disorders (SUDs), and staff roles. Receipt of harm reduction education and/or supplies (eg, syringes, pipes, naloxone, and test strips) from an addiction consult team, or providing care for patients receiving these services. Interviews were analyzed using thematic analysis to identify key themes. A total of 40 participants completed interviews, including 20 patients (mean [SD] age, 43 [13] years; 1 American Indian or Alaska Native [5%], 1 Asian and Pacific Islander [5%], 6 Black [30%]; 6 Latine [30%]; and 6 White [30%]) and 20 staff (mean [SD] age 37 [8] years). Patients were diagnosed with a variety of SUDs (7 patients with opioid and stimulant use disorder [35%]; 7 patients with stimulant use disorder [35%]; 3 patients with opioid use disorder [15%]; and 3 patients with alcohol use disorder [15%]). A total of 3 themes were identified; respondents reported that harm reduction programs (1) expanded access to harm reduction education and supplies, particularly for ethnically and racially minoritized populations; (2) built trust by improving the patient care experience and increasing engagement; and (3) catalyzed culture change by helping destigmatize care for individuals who planned to continue using substances and increasing staff fulfillment. Black and Latine patients, those who primarily used stimulants, and those with limited English proficiency (LEP) reported learning new harm reduction strategies. Program challenges included hesitancy regarding regulations, limited SUD education among staff, remaining stigma, and the need for careful assessment of patient goals. In this qualitative study, patients and staff believed that integrating harm reduction services into hospital care increased access for populations unfamiliar with harm reduction, improved trust, and reduced stigma. These findings suggest that efforts to increase access to harm reduction services for Black, Latine, and LEP populations, including those who use stimulants, are especially needed.

Wellness Tour for Tribal Communities During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Uniting Sacred Space with Western Medicine to Prevent Substance Use

Substance use disorders (SUD) and overdose deaths worsened further during the Covid-19 pandemic in American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN) communities. The Native Dad’s Network (NDN) delivered the Wellness Tour, offering cultural activities and SUD prevention education, from March 2021 to June 2022, to 11 AIAN tribal communities across California. The in-person program created a “sacred space” through culturally congruent song, dance, and prayer. SUD education included: a lecture about opioids and SUD; group talking circles; an educational skit led by adolescents; and training in naloxone and fentanyl testing strip use along with supplies. After the day-long program, 341 participants agreed strongly on a 5-point Likert type question that it improved their quality of life (mean = 4.7). Among 243 respondents, agreement was strong (mean = 4.8) to two Likert-type questions about cultural relevance and confidence in using naloxone. This AIAN-led program adopted safe practices during the pandemic to deliver culturally congruent SUD prevention education to severely affected AIAN communities.

Transformative Learning and Critical Consciousness: A Model for Preclerkship Medical School Substance Use Disorder Education.

Preparing medical students to provide compassionate person-centered care for people with substance use disorders (SUD) requires a re-envisioning of preclerkship SUD education to allow for discussions on stigma, social determinants of health, systemic racism, and healthcare inequities. The authors created a curricular thread that fosters the development of preclerkship medical students' critical consciousness through discussion, personal reflection, and inclusion of lived experiences. The authors used transformative learning theories to design and implement this thread in the 2021-2022 academic year in the Duke University School of Medicine preclerkship curriculum. Content included lectures, person-centered workshops, case-based learning, motivational interviewing of a standardized patient, and an opioid overdose simulation. Community advocates and people with SUD and an interdisciplinary faculty were involved in the thread design and delivery and modeled their lived experiences. Students wrote a 500-word critical reflection essay that examined their personal beliefs in the context of providing care for people with SUD. One hundred and twenty-two students submitted essays and 30 (25%) essays were randomly selected for a qualitative analysis. Seven major themes emerged: race/racism, systemic barriers, bias and stigma, personal growth/transformation, language or word usage, future plans for advocacy, and existing poor outcomes. Students were able to link material with prior knowledge and experiences, and their attitudes towards advocacy and goals for future practice were positively influenced. By aligning the thread design with the principals of transformative learning, students developed their critical consciousness toward people with SUD and cultivated a holistic understanding of SUD.

Preparing fourth year medical students to care for patients with opioid use disorder: how this training affects their intention to seek addiction care opportunities during residency

ABSTRACT Background & Objectives In 2021, the USA recorded 100,000 annual deaths from drug overdose, representing the most frequent cause of death in adults under age 55. The integration of care for substance use disorders (SUDs) into undergraduate medical education is not well established. It is unclear whether a short course on management of opioid use disorder (OUD) offered to fourth year medical students could increase graduating students’ knowledge and preparedness to treat these disorders. Methods We designed a 2-hour interactive case-based session on patient care for OUD and delivered it virtually as part of a Transition to Residency course. A retrospective pre-/post-test assessment instrument determined the impact of this session on students’ perceived knowledge, confidence, and intention to seek further educational opportunities for OUD. Results Of 144 participants, 58 students (40.3%) completed the retrospective pre-/post- survey. There were statistically significant improvements in perceived knowledge and attitudes on the 12-item survey. The largest gains in perceived knowledge on a 5-point scale occurred in the categories regarding buprenorphine induction (pre 2.9; post 4.22; p < 0.001), managing inpatient opioid withdrawal (pre 2.84; post 4.27; p < 0.001), and the role of methadone in treating withdrawal (pre 3.16; post 4.29; p < 0.001). All (n = 58) survey respondents would recommend the training to a colleague and felt that the session would benefit their professional practice. Over 90% (93.1%) of respondents planned on seeking additional SUD learning opportunities during residency. Conclusions A 2-hour interactive case-based teaching session delivered to medical students improved perceived knowledge, attitudes, and future interest in obtaining education around OUD. As the opioid epidemic shows no sign of abating, we would advocate for the inclusion SUD education as part of Transition to Residency courses.

A qualitative analysis of internal medicine residents’ experience with substance use disorder education and training: a pilot study

Background Lack of education and training on caring for patients with substance use disorder (SUD) is common among healthcare providers, often resulting in clinicians feeling unprepared to treat patients with SUD. Objectives This study explored resident physicians’ experiences with SUD education throughout medical school and residency and qualitatively evaluated whether a SUD initiative improved resident’s knowledge and efficacy of treating various SUDs. Methods We implemented a brief (seven hours total) educational initiative focused on treating SUDs virtually over the course of an academic year for residents enrolled in the University of Southern California Internal Medicine Residency program. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with residents after completion of the initiative. A thematic analysis was conducted to identify common themes that emerged from the qualitative data. Results Every resident noted receiving insufficient training for the treatment of SUDs prior to the initiative. The initiative was viewed favorably, and participants particularly appreciated having an introduction to prescribing medication for the treatment of SUD such as buprenorphine. Despite the perceived success of the initiative in increasing awareness of treatment modalities for SUD, residents expressed a lack of comfort in handling SUD cases and desired additional practical lectures and application of knowledge through increased experiential training. Conclusions SUD education and training appears to be a useful constituent of resident training and should be included in the standard curriculum and rotations. Residency programs should consider including formal education, hands-on practice, and providing adequate resources for residents to develop their capabilities to care for patients with SUD.

HealthCare educational differences in pain management, adverse childhood experiences and their relationship to substance use disorder education

BackgroundIn order to assist the State of Ohio in the United States in addressing the opioid epidemic, the Ohio Attorney General appointed experts in a variety of academic disciplines to the Scientific Committee on Opioid Prevention and Education (SCOPE). The focus of SCOPE is the application of scientific principles in the development of prevention and educational strategies for reducing substance use disorder (SUD). One area of focus for SCOPE was SUD education of healthcare professionals. The objective of the present was to identify the content and extent to which future healthcare professionals are trained in pain management, SUD, and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs).MethodsIn December of 2019, a survey was distributed to 49 healthcare professional schools in Ohio that included the following disciplines: medicine, pharmacy, advanced practice registered nurse (APRN), physician assistant, dentistry, and optometry. The survey included four domains: initial screening of patients, training in SUD, training in care for patients at high risk for SUD, and education in evaluating patients for ACEs. Descriptive statistics were calculated.ResultsThirty one of the forty-nine schools completed the survey. Most disciplines indicated that some form of basic training in the principles of SUD were taught in their core curriculum. The training on ethical issues surrounding SUD were not as widely covered (range 0-62.5%). Medicine, APRN, physician assistant, and pharmacy schools had a “moderate” to “great” extent of pharmacologic therapy curriculum integration. Other pain management strategies were “somewhat” to “moderately” integrated. There were variations seen in training on risk of medication misuse based on various contributors to health. At least 67.7% of medicine, APRN, physician assistant, and pharmacy programs included motivational interviewing training. The extent to which schools integrated education regarding ACEs into their curriculum varied from 0 to 66.7%.ConclusionsThe study finding suggests a need for a unified, consistent, and expanded training requirement in the foundations of pain management, SUD, and ACEs in professional healthcare education.

AMA Releases New Substance Use, Pain Recommendations

Back to table of contents Previous article Next article Clinical & ResearchFull AccessAMA Releases New Substance Use, Pain RecommendationsTerri D'ArrigoTerri D'ArrigoSearch for more papers by this authorPublished Online:27 Nov 2021https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.pn.2021.12.15AbstractThe recommendations by the Substance Use and Pain Care Task Force take a multipronged approach to ensuring evidence-based care is available to all who need it.In September the American Medical Association (AMA) released recommendations for physicians and lawmakers to help end drug overdoses and deaths. The recommendations were created by a new task force, the Substance Use and Pain Care Task Force, which combines AMA’s Opioid Task Force and Pain Care Task Force and includes APA and more than two dozen other health organizations.The recommendations focus on broad efforts to remove barriers and improve access to evidence-based care for patients with pain and/or substance use disorder (SUD) as well as to increase access to strategies for harm reduction.The recommendations include the following strategies:Support patients with pain and/or mental illness, including SUD, by building an evidence-based, sustainable, and resilient infrastructure and health care workforce rather than continuing a crisis-driven approach that has led to multiple unintended negative consequences, including one-size-fits-all strategies; continued stigma; and widespread gaps in data, evidence-based treatment, and prevention efforts.Support coverage for, access to, and payment of comprehensive, multidisciplinary, multimodal evidence-based treatment for patients with pain, SUD, and/or co-occurring mental illness.Include—through coverage, access, and payment—ways of directly addressing racial, gender, sexual orientation, ethnic, and economic inequities as well as social determinants of health. This includes removing barriers to evidence-based treatment for SUD, co-occurring mental illness, and pain.Broaden public health and harm reduction strategies to save lives from overdose, limit the spread of infectious disease, eliminate stigma, and reduce harms for people who take illicit substances. This includes increased support for naloxone and sterile needle and syringe exchange services.Improve stakeholder and multisector collaboration to ensure that the patients, policymakers, employers, and communities benefit from evidence-based decisions.“Physicians must continue to lead by example to help our patients with pain, SUDs, and mental illness,” AMA Board Chair and Task Force Chair Bobby Mukkamala, M.D., an otolaryngologist in Flint, Mich., said in a statement. “Removing barriers requires policymakers to join us in establishing a more effective and humane approach. Failure to adopt these policies will prolong the epidemic and our patients’ suffering.”APA President Vivian B. Pender, M.D., hailed the recommendations as a foundation for meeting the epidemic of drug overdose and mortality head-on.“We must approach this crisis from every angle and ensure that patients with comorbid pain and patients in marginalized communities have access to treatment that is offered by health and mental health professionals who understand the intricacies of substance use disorders,” Pender told Psychiatric News. “As psychiatrists, it is our responsibility not only to advocate for accessible, evidence-based care, but to offer it in a respectful way that addresses each patient as an individual with individual needs.”Smita Das, M.D., Ph.D., M.P.H., chair of APA’s Council on Addiction Psychiatry and a clinical assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral health sciences at Stanford University School of Medicine, voiced support for the recommendations on behalf of the council.“Substance use disorders and mental illness are underaddressed and undertreated, and these recommendations will hopefully have an impact on our patients, colleagues, and systems,” Das told Psychiatric News. “Many of our patients also suffer from pain, so the joint recommendations are helpful. We especially appreciate the emphasis on evidence-based strategies and reducing barriers and stigma.”Das said that expanding access to care and expanding the treatment workforce are critical to meeting the recommendations regarding patient support.“APA has been advocating for improved education and training of all physicians to better screen, identify, and treat substance use disorders concurrently with other dual diagnoses,” Das said. “In addition to improved training and workforce strengthening, the other challenge will be to update systems of care to deliver on the AMA recommendations.”Das encourages psychiatrists to be proactive in helping the AMA recommendations materialize, particularly with respect to the recommendation about supporting coverage for, access to, and payment of comprehensive, evidence-based treatment for patients with pain, SUD, and/or co-occurring mental illness.“For individual psychiatrists, approaching SUD and pain with special attention to [this recommendation] can reduce the stigma and barriers our patients face,” Das said. “Screening for substance use, being familiar with treatment options, and [offering] harm reduction [strategies] can improve a patient’s journey and outcomes.” ■The AMA recommendations are posted here.Information about APA’s educational resources on SUD, medication treatment for opioid use disorder, and curriculum development for SUD education are posted here. 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The relationship between knowledge, attitudes, and practices of community pharmacists regarding persons with substance use disorders

Background: Community pharmacists can play a meaningful role in identification and treatment of substance use disorders (SUD). However, inadequate disease knowledge and negative attitudes are known barriers. The relationship between knowledge, attitudes, and practice of pharmacists regarding persons with SUD has not been evaluated comprehensively in the United States. The objective of the study was to assess knowledge of community pharmacists regarding medications for SUD and evaluate their attitudes, levels of stigma, and clinical practices in SUD. Methods: A questionnaire was developed to assess practices, knowledge, screening services, and attitudes toward harm reduction strategies and treatment. A standardized measure of stigma was included along with demographics. A cross-sectional electronic survey was conducted in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia among a non-probability sample of community pharmacists working for a retail pharmacy chain (n = 910) and a local alumni network (n = 50). Scores were calculated for each factor and descriptive analyses, mean differences (t-tests and ANOVA), correlations with demographics and practice characteristics were performed. Linear and ordinal regressions were utilized to predict knowledge, practice, screening, and stigma scores. Results: A total of 134 responses (response rate 13.9%) were collected. On average, the pharmacists were 38 years old, had worked for 15 years, primarily full-time with practice locations in suburban settings. Only 53% reported they received SUD education in pharmacy school. Pharmacists received a mean score of 5.5 and 3.5 out of eight and seven on knowledge and practice scales, respectively. Pharmacists overall had slightly stigmatizing and negative attitudes, with higher stigma significantly related to performing lesser services and considering screenings as important. Number of years worked significantly predicted knowledge and screening. Conclusion: Relationships between knowledge, attitudes, and practices indicate a need for experiential education that includes psychosocial aspects of care with increased opportunities for practice.

Substance Use Disorder: A Model for Integration in Undergraduate Medical Education.

Substance Use Disorder (SUD) is a debilitating chronic illness with significant morbidity and mortality across the United States. The AAMC and LCME have supported the efforts for more effective medical education of SUD to address the existing stigma, knowledge, and treatment gaps. The Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and associated social, economic, and behavioral impacts have added to this urgency. The University of South Carolina School of Medicine Greenville (USCSOMG), in collaboration with community organizations, has successfully implemented an integrated SUD education curriculum for medical students. Students learn about SUD in basic sciences, receive case-based education during clinical exercises, and are provided the opportunity to become a recovery coach and participate in the patient and family recovery meetings through this curriculum during preclinical years. During the clinical years, SUD education is enhanced with exposure to Medication for Addition Treatment (MAT). Students also partake in the care coordination of patients with SUD between the hospital and community recovery organizations. All students receive MAT waiver training in their final year and are prepared to prescribe treatment for SUD upon graduation. The experiences in this integrated curriculum integration can perhaps assist other organizations to implement similar components and empower the next generation of physicians to be competent and effective in treating patients with SUD.

Interprofessional Substance Use Disorder Education in Health Professions Education Programs: A Scoping Review.

The authors conducted this scoping review to (1) provide a comprehensive evaluation and summation of published literature reporting on interprofessional substance use disorder (SUD) education for students in health professions education programs and (2) appraise the research quality and outcomes of interprofessional SUD education studies. Their goals were to inform health professions educators of interventions that may be useful to consider as they create their own interprofessional SUD courses and to identify areas of improvement for education and research. The authors searched 3 Ovid MEDLINE databases (MEDLINE, In-Process & Other Non-Indexed Citations, and Epub Ahead of Print), Embase.com, ERIC via FirstSearch, and Clarivate Analytics Web of Science from inception through December 7, 2018. The authors used the Medical Education Research Study Quality Instrument (MERSQI) to assess included studies' quality. The authors screened 1,402 unique articles, and 14 met inclusion criteria. Publications dated from 2014 to 2018. Ten (71%) included students from at least 3 health professions education programs. The mean MERSQI score was 10.64 (SD = 1.73) (range, 7.5-15). Interventions varied by study, and topics included general substance use (n = 4, 29%), tobacco (n = 4, 29%), alcohol (n = 3, 21%), and opioids (n = 3, 21%). Two studies (14%) used a nonrandomized 2-group design. Four (29%) included patients in a clinical setting or panel discussion. Ten (72%) used an assessment tool with validity evidence. Studies reported interventions improved students' educational outcomes related to SUDs and/or interprofessionalism. Interprofessional SUD educational interventions improved health professions students' knowledge, skills, and attitudes toward SUDs and interprofessional collaboration. Future SUD curriculum design should emphasize assessment and measure changes in students' behaviors and patient or health care outcomes. Interprofessional SUD education can be instrumental in preparing the future workforce to manage this pressing and complex public health threat.

Substance Use Disorder Education in Medical Schools: A Scoping Review.

As medical schools adapt their curricula to prepare future physicians for the opioid crisis and for treating patients with substance use disorders (SUDs), educators should refer to courses described in the literature. This scoping review aimed to (1) provide a comprehensive evaluation and summation of peer-reviewed literature reporting on SUD education in medical schools globally and (2) appraise the research quality and educational outcomes reported in SUD education studies in medical schools. The authors searched 6 databases (3 Ovid MEDLINE databases, Embase, ERIC, and Web of Science) from inception through May 25, 2018. Original English-language research studies focusing on medical students and describing SUD education in medical schools were included. The Medical Education Research Study Quality Instrument (MERSQI) was used to assess included studies. Of 3,178 articles identified, 43 met inclusion criteria. Studies were conducted in 9 countries. Most reported on educational interventions for tobacco (n = 20; 47%); others reported on interventions for SUDs broadly (n = 15; 35%), alcohol (n = 8; 19%), and opioids (n = 1; 2%). The mean MERSQI score was 12.27 (standard deviation 2.30). Four studies (9%) reported on educational outcomes at the level of behaviors or patient or health care outcomes. The majority (n = 39; 91%) reported significant benefits. Educational interventions relating to SUDs were effective in improving medical students' knowledge, skills, and attitudes. Educators should develop courses that achieve higher-level educational outcomes, increase education on opioid use disorders, and focus on the greatest public health concerns.

Utilizing Bloom's taxonomy to design a substance use disorders course for health professions students

ABSTRACTBackground: Substance use disorders (SUDs) are a public health problem affecting millions of Americans. Despite their prevalence, there are few health care resources allocated for SUDs treatment. Relatively few health care professionals are exposed to SUDs education in their respective programs, which may be one reason for this resource insufficiency. In hopes of rectifying this gap, the authors developed a SUDs course for health professions students combining classroom learning with practical application to patient care. Methods: The authors used Bloom's taxonomy of cognitive, affective, and psychomotor learning domains as an educational framework to create numerous opportunities for students to deepen their knowledge, assess their attitudes, and develop their motivational interviewing skills. The primary outcome of the study was a comparison of students' scores on the Substance Abuse Attitude Scale (SAAS) pre- and post-course completion. Secondary outcome was to compare students' self-assessment scores of their patient counseling with residents' assessments of them on the Liverpool Communication Skills Assessment Scale (LCSAS). Results: One hundred twelve students participated in the authors' SUDs course over a 9-month period. Ninety-five students completed both the pre- and post-course SAAS surveys. The total SAAS survey score and individual domain scores for nonmoralizing, treatment optimism, and treatment intervention demonstrated significant improvement post-course. Eighty-nine students completed a motivational interview with a patient. Eighty students had a LCSAS self-assessment paired with a residents' assessment. Mean scores for individual items on the LCSAS for both groups' assessment were approximately 3.5, indicating that students' communication was assessed as “acceptable” to “good.” Conclusions: This study demonstrates that Bloom's taxonomy was a useful educational framework to ensure a systematic development of the authors' SUDs course. Through participation in our course, students touched each of the 3 domains in Bloom's taxonomy. The authors believe their course design may serve as a framework for future SUDs courses.

Surveys of substance use disorders education in US pharmacy programs.

Introduction:Substance use disorders (SUDs) are a significant US health problem affecting roughly 20 million Americans, but there continues to be limited access to SUD treatment and inadequate addiction medicine training. Therefore, it is important to understand how SUD education is being delivered to US health professionals, including pharmacists.Methods:A recent survey of US pharmacy programs' neuropsychiatry curricula was evaluated to identify any progress made toward increasing SUD education since the last national survey in 2004 and determine any remaining gaps between what is currently being taught and American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) curricular guidelines for SUD education updated in 2010. A survey of psychiatric pharmacists, regarding what they thought should be taught, was also evaluated and compared with the 2010 AACP curricular guidelines.Results:Our survey of US pharmacy programs demonstrated that 94% of programs reported teaching SUD content in 2014-15, which has increased from 81% reported in a survey study from 2004. There was also an increase for average hours of SUD didactic instruction, which increased from 2.2 hours in 2004 to 2.7 hours in 2015. The majority of members (84%) recommended at least 2 hours of SUD instruction, and 27% recommended teaching ≥4 hours.Discussion:There was an overall increase in SUD instruction, but the average hours taught still falls short of 2010 AACP curricular guideline recommendation suggesting ≥4 hours. Furthermore, a majority of the psychiatric pharmacists we surveyed did not agree with the AACP curricular guideline recommendation because only 27% of members recommended ≥4 hours of SUD instruction, and the average hours recommended was only 2.7 hours.

An Interprofessional Course on Substance Use Disorders for Health Professions Students.

Substance use disorders (SUDs) affect millions of Americans. Nevertheless, there is insufficient health care resource allocation for these patients. One reason may be the lack of education and training about SUDs in health professions programs. The authors developed a required, interprofessional SUDs course for health professions students completing a one-month psychiatry clerkship within the Duke University Health System starting in November 2015. Students participated in six 1-hour class sessions led by an interdisciplinary faculty. Sessions focused on core areas in SUDs education and used either a lecture with discussion or a small-group team-based learning format. Students completed one motivational interview, attended a 12-step recovery meeting, and wrote a reflection paper. On the first and last day of the clerkship, students measured their attitudes toward individuals with SUDs using the Substance Abuse Attitude Scale (SAAS) and toward interprofessionalism using the Interprofessional Attitudes Scale (IPAS). Seventy-one students participated in the course from November 2015 to May 2016. Fifty-nine (83%) students had paired pre- and postcourse SAAS and IPAS data. On the SAAS, students showed significant improvement in their median total score and nonmoralizing, treatment optimism, and treatment intervention scores. On the IPAS, students showed significant improvement in their median score on the teamwork, roles, and responsibilities domain. The authors will continue to assess the course. Starting in academic year 2016-2017, the course will include four additional elements, and beginning in July 2016, accelerated bachelor of science in nursing students will participate in the course.

Alcohol Medical Scholars Program—A Mentorship Program for Improving Medical Education Regarding Substance Use Disorders

ABSTRACT The Alcohol Medical Scholars Program (AMSP) is designed to improve medical education related to substance use disorders (SUDs) through mentorship of junior, full-time academic faculty from medical schools across the United States. Scholarship focuses on literature review and synthesis, lecture development and delivery, increasing SUD education in their medical schools, professional development, and networking. Results are reported from an anonymous survey of self-reported changes in educational involvement by 28 of 33 AMSP graduates. Participation was associated with a 4-fold increase in yearly SUD lecture time and topics, increased numbers of medical disciplines taught and trained in clinical rotations, design of new SUD-related electives and journal clubs, and membership on medical education committees. Sixty percent of scholars reported promotion since involvement in AMSP, with the majority endorsing the organization's contribution to professional development. AMSP is a useful mentorship model for junior faculty and is associated with increasing SUD-related medical education.