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VA Advanced Fellowship Program in Advanced Substance Abuse Treatment
History and Purpose
In 1980, VA's Office of Academic Affiliations (OAA) established the Substance
Abuse Treatment Fellowship Program to prepare physicians for clinical proficiency
in the treatment of alcoholism and other substance abuse, program management, and
academic leadership. A growing number of veterans with substance abuse problems,
many of whom were dually diagnosed with psychiatric or other co-morbid conditions,
needed to be treated by highly trained, skilled clinicians
In 1994, the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education recognized Addiction
Psychiatry as a subspecialty for Psychiatry. Subsequently, OAA conducted a competitive
site selection among facilities seeking Addiction Psychiatry residency positions.
In addition, OAA continued its post-residency Advanced Fellowship Program in Substance
Abuse Treatment because of the large numbers of VA patients with substance abuse
disorders and the need to develop post-residency physician researchers. Today, the
Fellowship program focuses on developing a cadre of 21st century physician leaders
for careers in substance abuse treatment, prevention, teaching, and research. Graduates
are expected to become role models for residents and medical students.
Competitively selected Fellowship sites include Ann Arbor, MI; Baltimore, MD; Boston,
MA; Cincinnati, OH; Cleveland, OH; Denver, CO; Durham, NC; Palo Alto, CA; Philadelphia,
PA; Providence, RI; San Francisco, CA; and West Haven, CT. Since 1980, VA has trained
approximately 180 physician Fellows.
Program Overview
The VA Post-residency Advanced Fellowship Program in Substance Abuse Treatment provides
two years of training for the following physicians:
- Board eligible or board certified psychiatrists who have completed their ACGME-accredited
subspecialty training in Addiction Psychiatry
- Board eligible or board certified candidates who have completed ACGME-accredited
residency training in internal medicine, family practice, or neurology.
All Fellowship participants serve as trainees on a temporary, full-time employment
basis at one of the sites for the duration of the appointment period. Each appointee
receives a per annum stipend related as closely as possible to local affiliate fellowship
stipend levels. The highest postgraduate level attained through previous ACGME residency
training plus experience in nationally recognized Fellowships sponsored by such
renowned agencies as NIH, NIMH or NIA determines the stipend levels.
Fellowship Requirements
Applicants must desire to pursue a medical career in substance abuse treatment and
to serve as a change agent to help lead VA and other public and private health care
systems in the 21st century. Applicants must have the capacity for interactive skills
necessary to create institutional changes and the ability to appreciate and leverage
the benefits of coordinated clinical medicine, research, and administration.
Fellowship participants must be psychiatrists who have completed ACGME-accredited
subspecialty residency training in Addiction Psychiatry and are board eligible or
board certified; or applicants must be board eligible or board certified physicians
in internal medicine, neurology, or family practice.
All participants must have an active, unrestricted license to practice medicine
in the United States. (Residency training licenses are restricted licenses, and
VA cannot accept them.) In addition, any international medical graduate must have
an unexpired visa and required Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates
(ECFMG) documentation.
Application
To inquire about the application process and to learn more about the program, interested
physicians should write to the site of their choice and send a cover letter and
curriculum vitae to that site.
Fellowship Director Address List
Stephen Chermack, Ph.D.
Director, Substance Abuse Clinic (116A)
VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System
2215 Fuller Road
Ann Arbor, MI 48105
Joseph Liberto, M.D.
Director, VA Fellowship Program in Substance Abuse Treatment (116)
VA Maryland Health Care System
Baltimore VAMC
10 North Greene St.
Baltimore, MD 21201
Omar Elhaj, MD.
Director, VA Fellowship Program in Substance Abuse Treatment (116)
Louis Stokes Cleveland VAMC
Brecksville Division
Brecksville, OH 44141
Jeffrey Goldsmith, M.D.Director,
VA Fellowship Program in Substance Abuse Treatment (116A)
Cincinnati VAMC
3200 Vine Street
Cincinnati, OH 45220
Thomas P. Beresford, M.D.
Director, VA Fellowship Program in Substance Abuse Treatment (116)
Denver VAMC
1055 Clermont Street
Denver, CO 80220
Roy M. Stein, M.D.
Director, VA Fellowship Program in Substance Abuse Treatment (116A)
VA Medical Center
508 Fulton Street
Durham, NC 27705
Javail Sheikh, M.D.
Director, VA Fellowship Program in Substance Abuse Treatment (116)
VA Palo Alto Health Care System
Palo Alto Division
3801 Miranda Avenue
Palo Alto, CA 94304
Howard Moss, M.D.
Director, VA Fellowship Program in Substance Abuse Treatment (116)
Philadelphia VAMC
University & Woodland Avenues
Philadelphia, PA 19104
Gary Kaplan, MD
Director, VA Fellowship Program in Substance Abuse Treatment (151)
Providence VAMC
830 Chalkstone Avenue
Providence, RI 02908-4799
Peter Banys, M.D.
Director, VA Fellowship Program in Substance Abuse Treatment (116E)
San Francisco VAMC
4150 Clement Street
San Francisco, CA 94121
Ismene Petrakis, M.D.
Director, VA Fellowship Program in Substance Abuse Treatment (116A2)
VA Connecticut Health Care System
West Haven Campus
950 Campbell Avenue
West Haven, CT 06516
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