About MI CARES
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.
MI CARES today aims to address the overwhelming need for Addiction Medicine specialists by guiding and supporting prescribers through the Practice Pathway, and educating social workers and medical students in Addiction Medicine.
Dr. Cara Poland
In 2018, board-certified Addiction Medicine Doctor Cara Poland identified the need to strengthen our country’s Addiction Medicine workforce. By utilizing State Opioid Response funds and creating collaboration among Michigan’s seven medical schools, MI CARES was born.
Led by Dr. Poland, MI CARES not only trains physician-level addiction specialists in Michigan but across the country. Over 400 physicians in all 50 states are currently on the path to becoming board-certified in Addiction Medicine through MI CARES.
Dr. Poland also leads a special interest grant, GREAT MOMS, which treats pregnant people living with a substance use disorder and their families. A passionate and highly sought-after public speaker and educator, Dr. Poland regularly appears in the media and at community events advocating for those she serves.
MI Success
At the outset, MI CARES set two ambitious goals: To increase the Addiction Medicine workforce in Michigan, and to implement an Addiction Medicine curriculum into undergraduate medical education. Initially, MI CARES was developed as a regional initiative to address the need for Addiction Medicine specialists in Michigan.
Today, physicians from every state are enrolling in the MI CARES Practice Pathway program to meet the rising demand for addiction specialists in communities all across the country. MI CARES has a dedicated, knowledgeable, and professional staff to support our participants, content experts to develop our evidence-based curriculum, and medical students setting the stage as the next generation of leaders in the field of Addiction Medicine.
said MI CARES simplified the certification process
National
new board-certified physicians since 2021
Medical Students
and counting have accessed the MI CARES curriculum across Michigan
MI CARES Enrollees
since 2019
MI CARES Footprint
We are proudly in every state, with over 1000 participants nationwide!