Addressing Overwhelming Need

Together, Michigan State University and Wayne State University are addressing the need for Addiction Medicine specialists in the state of Michigan and beyond. Communities across the nation need Addiction Medicine specialists to address the addiction crisis.

MI CARES was developed with the dual goal of helping physicians enroll in the Practice Pathway program to obtain their Addiction Medicine certification as efficiently as possible, and to introduce the fundamentals of Addiction Medicine to medical students to increase knowledge and spread awareness among future medical professionals.

About the Program

Physicians
Medical Students

The MI CARES program is designed to:

Support physicians applying for Addiction Medicine certification through the Practice Pathway with the American Board of Preventive Medicine (ABPM).

Identify areas outside of direct patient care to ensure required hours of experience in Addiction Medicine research, teaching activities, and administration are met, utilizing collaborative resources.

Properly assess a provider’s current roles and responsibilities and how they can translate to meet the time-in-practice requirements for Addiction Medicine certification.

Provide a robust overview of the Addiction Medicine core content for the board exam.

The MI CARES Medical Student program is designed to:

Introduce students to the fundamentals of Addiction Medicine to increase knowledge and awareness through a curriculum that spans all fours year of medical school.

Prepare students for residency by providing them with a curriculum that covers the basics of diagnosis and medical care of persons with substance use disorder (SUD) and substance-related health conditions.

Partner with institutions that do not currently have Addiction Medicine or Psychiatry curriculums in place to help disseminate the MI CARES curriculum.

What to Expect

Physician participants gain access to all MI CARES' asynchronous learning modules, no-cost CME and assistance during the application process.
End Result for Physicians:
  • CME credits
  • Unlimited access to modules
  • Application tools and support from MI CARES staff
Medical Schools are provided with a robust Addiction Medicine curriculum, including instructor materials for large and small groups and asynchronous pre-learning.
End Result for Medical Students:
  • Course credit through partnering institution
  • Completion certificate for inclusion in residency applications
  • Broad overview of diagnosis and medicated assisted therapy of persons with SUD and substance-related conditions

Benefits of Addiction Medicine Certification

The American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) and the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) list a variety of benefits of board certification. Some benefits include:

Joining a distinguished community of physicians whose priority is the advancement of patient care and safety.

Helping bridge the gap between almost 22 million people struggling with addiction, and approximately only 5,500 specialists nationwide.

Increased practice-based and clinical efficiencies, and enhanced communication with colleagues, patients, and caregivers.

Possible increase in compensation; it is estimated that physicians with board certification earn 67% more than those without it.

Benefits of Incorporating Addiction Medicine Curriculum in Undergraduate Medical Education

Undergraduate medical education curriculum trains physicians to deliver quality and effective treatment across the addiction continuum to address the epidemic of addiction, significantly impacting public health.

Training programs must educate medical students about substance use disorders in the early stages of their careers, rather than expecting them to independently seek further education after they graduate.

Consistent early training and education in Addiction Medicine will help identify students who will go on to serve as champions and the next generation of leaders and educators in the field.

Meet the Team

Cara Poland, MD, MEd, FACP, DFASAM

Principal Investigator
Associate Professor, Michigan State University
College of Human Medicine
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Mark Greenwald, PhD

Faculty
Wayne State University
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Candace Heeringa

Project Administrator
Michigan State University
College of Human Medicine
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Heather Bunker

Research Assistant/Lab Coordinator
Michigan State University
College of Human Medicine
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Madison Walsh, MA

Research Assistant
Michigan State University
College of Human Medicine
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Robert Malinowski, PhD, DVM, MA

Associate Director
Michigan State University
College of Human Medicine
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Jamie Alan, RPh, PharmD, Ph.D.

Associate Professor
Michigan State University
College of Osteopathic Medicine
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Emily Beardsley

Michigan State University
College of Human Medicine
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