Addiction medicine is a subspecialty that deals with all aspects of addiction, including prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and recovery. Practitioners focus on both the disease and various health complications that may arise as a result of addiction. The American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) is the country’s leading provider of addiction medicine education. In addition to a depth of continuing medical education programs, the ASAM manages the nation’s premier addiction medicine certification program.
There are many forms of addiction. The ASAM concentrates on health conditions resulting from substance abuse, such as alcohol and drugs. Addiction medicine professionals may also offer services to individuals addicted to nicotine. Medical professionals interested in addiction medicine can pursue certification as addiction medicine specialists.
Certified physicians train in all areas of addiction medicine, including prevention, screening, and intervention. The certification process also includes a comprehensive overview of treatment options. The ASAM program combines education, work experience, and a final evaluation of a physician’s knowledge.
To become certified, physicians must acquire a comprehensive understanding of addiction. They receive further training for the many different health complications caused by chronic substance use. Certified addiction medicine specialists are increasingly in demand as America’s opioid crisis continues.
The Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) declared 12 public health emergencies in 2023, and a third of these declarations were attributed to the opioid crisis. COVID-19 was the only other national cause for a public health emergency declaration. The opioid crisis is a longstanding threat to public health in America that was first recognized during the 1990s. The HHS renewed the determination that the opioid crisis constitutes a public health emergency five times in 2022 and four times in 2021.
ASAM certification has many benefits. In addition to adding value and career advancement opportunities, an addiction medicine specialist certification gives physicians access to a federal loan repayment fund. Certified physicians can eliminate up to $250,000 in student loans after practicing addiction medicine for 6 years in certain parts of the country. Physicians can also increase their earning potential by as much as 67 percent. In some cases, physicians may need to earn certification to meet Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration standards for opioid treatment programs, particularly if a physician advances to the position of director.
The American Board of Medical Specialties has recognized the ASAM addiction medicine specialist certification program since 2016, while the US Drug Addiction Treatment Act officially recognized addiction medicine credentials more than two decades ago. The American Board of Preventive Medicine, the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, and the American Osteopathic Association manage comparable certification programs. Non-physicians can pursue addiction certification through organizations such as the Addictions Nursing Certification Board and the National Certification Commission for Addiction Professionals.
After achieving certification, medical professionals continue to receive ASAM support in re-certification services, certification maintenance, continuing certification programming, and osteopathic continuous certification requirements. The organization also provides detailed insight into best practices, professionalism, and other expectations of addiction medicine specialists via the Standards of Care for the Addiction Specialist Physician. More information about ASAM educational offerings is available at www.asam.org.
