Didactics

2023-2024 Didactics & Calendar of Events 

* Mandatory

  • ACAAM ADePT Pre and Post Tests In-training Exam*
    • Fellows will block two clinical days to take the exam without distractions. This evidence-based, referenced, online Addiction Medicine practice test is a cognitive assessment tool to identify areas of strengths and weaknesses in Addiction Medicine knowledge and a helpful exercise for preparing for the Addiction Medicine certification examination. 
    • Pre-Test Wednesday, 7/12 12:00 pm - 5:00 pm
  • ASAM Essential Review*
    • Faculty Advisor: Nicholas Chien, MD
    • A weekly self-guided review of ASAM Text
  • Quarterly Scholarly Check-in*
    • Faculty Advisor: Nicholas Chien, MD
    •  Stay on track with reading and academic schedules 
  • Windy City Addiction Medicine/Addiction Psychiatry Journal Club*
    • Faculty Advisor: Nicholas Chien, MD
    • A monthly in-person meeting with other addiction medicine/addiction psychiatry fellows in Chicago, supervised by Dr. Nicholas Chien. Occurs on the first Thursday of every month from 4:30 - 5:30 pm (except July & August).
  • ACAAM Weekly 2023-2024 Didactic Series*
    • National Addiction Medicine Curriculum Virtual Series begins July 19, 2023
    • Every Wednesday, 1:00 pm –3:00 pm CST
    • A weekly, fellowship-run didactic experience for addiction medicine fellows and faculty.
      •  The two-hour sessions are mapped to the American Board of Preventive Medicine (ABPM) addiction medicine exam blueprint and the ACGME medical competencies. While designed by and for the addiction medicine subspecialty, the content will improve the practice of any physician or fellow treating or assessing patients with substance use disorder.
      • Click here for schedule information
    • Upon completion of session evaluation, fellow attests to attendance or viewing a recording to receive a certificate to be shared with Program Coordinator (PC) and Program Director (PD).
  • Rush Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Monthly Patient Safety & Quality Case Conference
    • Fourth Wednesday of every month
    • Fellows participate in at least one conference as content experts*.
  • Rush Psychiatry Residency Lecture Series: Addiction Medicine
    •  Various Wednesdays 11:30 am -12:30 pm 
    •  Fellows may attend these classes 
  •  Carle Addiction Grand Rounds Series
    •  A virtual series of 6 high-yield topics in addiction medicine 
    •  Rush Addiction Medicine Faculty provides some of these lectures 
  • Rush Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Grand Rounds
    • A weekly virtual departmental conference 
  • In-person and virtual networking opportunities
    • Including list serv access 
    • Fellows are encouraged to apply for the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) Ruth Fox Scholarship
    • ASAM Hill Day Conference
    • Numerous opportunities to join ASAM national committees  
    • Illinois Society of Addiction Medicine (ISAM) actively mentors addiction medicine fellows, offering leadership opportunities 
  •  Toxicon/DEA Special Didactic; Local
    • August 30, 2023, 8:00 am - -1:00 pm
  • 2024 Ruth Fox Scholarship Award
    • ASAM Member Portal (membersuite.com)
    • The Ruth Fox Scholarship program awards select physicians-in-training with a scholarship to attend the ASAM 2024/ 55th Annual Conference in Dallas, TX. The scholarship program plays a significant role in growing the qualified workforce desperately needed to treat addiction. 
    • The scholarship provides complimentary registration to the ASAM 55th Annual Conference, April 4 - 7, 2024, which also includes registration to one of ASAM’s Pre-Course Offerings (Fundamentals of Addiction Medicine, Motivational Interviewing, or Pain & Addiction Course), and three years of complimentary membership in ASAM. Recipients will have access to over 60-75 CME/CE/MOC hours of addiction medicine education by attending the annual conference.
    • Residents or fellows who wish to apply for the Ruth Fox Memorial Endowment Scholarship must complete the application and essay questions, and submit a letter of recommendation on the training institution’s letterhead. All documents must be uploaded by the deadline. Incomplete applications will not be accepted for review.
    • DEADLINES
      • June 1 – August 31, 2023 Application review period
      • August 31, 2023 Application deadline
      • November 2023 Notification sent to all applicants
        • April 4 - April 7, 2024 ASAM 55th Annual Conference (Gaylord Texan, Dallas TX)
    • REVIEW PROCESS
      • Ruth Fox Scholarship Selection Committee members will evaluate all applications and decide by late October 2023.
    • CRITERIA TO APPLY
      • Applicants must be in a residency or fellowship to apply for the scholarship, and you must complete this application and submit the following supporting documentation:
      • I. Curriculum Vitae (CV)
      • II. Letter of Recommendation from the Program Director on the training institution’s letterhead.
      • III. Applicants are required to answer up to 10 short questions regarding their interest in addiction medicine. 
  • ACAAM Addiction Medicine Fellow Professional Development Summit (half-day, 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm ET)*
  • Wisconsin Society of Addiction Medicine (WISAM)
    • October 19-20, 2023
    • Fellow Presentation Thursday, October 19 from 2:45 pm 3:30 pm*
    • Faculty Advisor – T. Celeste Napier, PhD
    • Dr. Napier to help review presentation slides, offer feedback and expect fellows to practice their presentation at least 1 time before October and receive feedback from Dr. Napier
  • AMERSA (Association for Multidisciplinary Education and Research in Substance Use and Addiction), Washington DC
    • November 2-4, 2023
  • The Semi-Annual Performance Evaluation*
    • December 2023 
    • Summative Evaluations: Fellows are evaluated formally twice each academic year with an objective performance evaluation based on ACGME competencies and Addiction Medicine Milestones using multiple evaluators (e.g., faculty members, peers, patients, self, and other professional staff members).
    • The Program Director (PD) and Chair of the Clinical Competency Committee (CCC) meet with each fellow for a face-to-face evaluation review. Individualized learning plans are discussed, which capitalize on the fellow’s strengths, identify areas for growth, and develop plans for fellows failing to progress following institutional policies and procedures , if needed.
  • ACAAM Addiction Medicine Self-Assessment Modules (SAMs)*
    • Nov 18, 2023 (instructions distributed) 
    • Feb 1, 2024 (Self-Assessment Module (SAM) draft due
    • Faculty Advisor – T. Celeste Napier, PhD
    • Activity: Develop self-evaluations questions according to the SAM Item Writing 
    • The SAMs are CME-accredited activities that require the learner to read a peer-reviewed article and answer 4 multiple-choice questions. Click here for more information.
    • Fellows and faculty will be listed on the ACAAM Addiction Medicine Education Portal as SAM Authors, earning a national citation for your CV.
  • ACAAM, Lightning Round presentation for National meeting*
    • March 4, 2024 (submission deadline) 
    •  April 3-4, 2024 (presentation)
    • Faculty Advisor – T. Celeste Napier, PhD
    • Activity: develop and submit 5 slides for 5 minute lightning round presentation and if approved, craft a presentation for a virtual presentation ( or in person if attending the conference)
  • ACAAM National Addiction Medicine Didactic Curriculum Session*
    • March 27, 2024
    • Faculty Advisor – T. Celeste Napier, PhD
    • Presentation on “Behavioral Addictions: Beyond Gambling”
    • Expectation: Develop an understanding of behavioral addictions; update the 2023 PPT and present 
    • Presenter Responsibilities
  • ACAAM & ASAM Annual Meetings April 4 - April 7, 2024
    • Gaylord Texan, Dallas TX
    • Faculty Advisor – T. Celeste Napier, PhD
    • Expectation: If an addiction medicine fellow determines they would like to submit an abstract (the deadline first round is October, and the second round is January); then would like to have Dr. Napier help them as they prepare the abstract – if accepted, then as they prepare the poster or presentation, very important they utilize Dr. Napier’s expertise and guidance however; the fellow will be taking the lead on the preparation of the submission.
  • The Final Summative Performance Evaluation*
    • June 2024
    • Verifies that the fellow has demonstrated the knowledge, skills, and behaviors necessary to enter autonomous practice, as demonstrated by The Addiction Medicine Milestones, and considers recommendations from the Clinical Competency Committee (CCC)
    • It is shared with the fellow upon completion of the program Is accessible for review by the fellow per institutional policy and becomes part of the fellow’s permanent record maintained by the institution 
    • The Program Director (PD) and Chair of the CCC meet with each fellow for a face-to-face evaluation review at the end of the training program to review their Final Summative Performance Evaluation 
  • ACAAM 5th Annual Addiction Medicine Fellow Graduation Event*
    • June 5, 2024, 5:00 pm CST