The evolution of addiction medicine education in British Columbia

Abstract

Internationally, improving Addiction Medicine training has been identified as a critical strategy to improve patient care. In British Columbia, a firm foundation has been laid with didactic sessions and clinical exposure in substance use disorders embedded into undergraduate medical education and various residency programs at the University of British Columbia. More recently, with guidance from the American Board of Addiction Medicine and experienced program directors internationally, along with financial support through grants and donations, coupled with community input, an interdisciplinary Addiction Medicine clinical fellowship and a NIDA funded Addiction Medicine research fellowship have been established.