Advanced Medical Student Assistantship in Alcohol and Other Drug Dependency
No matter what area of practice you enter, the negative effects of substance use disorders will impact some percentage of your patients and complicate the treatment of their illnesses. It is therefore imperative that you learn as much as you can about the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of these disorders so as to function as a valuable resource to your patients.
- Sabato (Anthony) Stile, MD, Medical Director, UPMC Behavioral Health Associates and EAP Solutions and faculty member of the Medical Assistantship Program
The assistantship contributed to my future. In addition, it opened my eyes to addiction and life . . . I liked both how the program was organized and how well it was organized. I would highly recommend it to any medical student.
-Former Medical Student Assistantship Participant
One of the two 2012 Medical Student Assistantship classes with IRETA's Dr. Holly Hagle
The application period for Summer 2013 has closed. Thank you to all who applied and expressed interest in this program.
2013 Medical Student Assistantship Program
Session 1: June 3-21, 2013
Session 2: July 8-26, 2013
Downloadable Materials
Brochure
Flyer
Sample Schedule
FAQ
What is the Advanced Medical Student Assistantship?
With generous funding from the Scaife Family Foundation, IRETA is able to conduct this specialized program. The program offers students training in the field of addiction treatment and recovery incomparable to any they may have encountered in their prior medical school education or residency experience.
Is there any financial compensation for participation in the program?
Participants will receive a $150 per week stipend and a $200 transportation allowance (for those traveling from outside the Pittsburgh area) for a total of $650 for the three weeks. Rooms and some meals are also provided.
What do the students do in the program?
Students who are accepted into the program participate in an intense learning experience. Their schedules include:
• Lectures
• Patient contact
• Group sessions with clients
• Rounds with resident physicians
• Opportunities to present what the students have learned
What are the benefits of participating in the Medical Student Assistantship?
This program will provide participants with a clinical experience to increase awareness and knowledge in the following areas:
• Screening and diagnosing substance use disorders
• Research in substance use disorders
• Brief motivational interviewing skills
• Adult and adolescent substance use disorders
• Neonatal treatment of chemically dependent infants
• Maternal addiction
• Special population issues in addictions treatment
• Professional impairment
• Residential/inpatient and outpatient treatment modalities
• Family issues in treatment
• Psychiatric co-morbidity
• Methadone maintenance
• Systems issues in addictions treatment
• Providing referrals to addictions treatment
Who conducts the program?
The Institute for Research, Education and Training in Addictions (IRETA).
Who is eligible to apply?
Only medical students attending U.S. medical schools will be eligible to participate in this program.
How many students will be accepted?
In order to optimize the clinical experience of the participants, six students will be accepted for each session.
When is the program?
The Medical Student Assistantship program is offered in two three-week sessions. Students are permitted to attend only one session. Dates for 2013 are:
Session 1: June 3, 2013 through June 21, 2013
Session 2: July 8, 2013 through July 26, 2013
Registration for this program is closed. The deadline for registrations was March 22, 2013.
Questions? Please contact Kristine Pond at pondk@ireta.org.
