ACMT to Host the Addiction Medicine Academy in Clearwater, Florida
Phoenix, Arizona (PRWEB) January 29, 2015 -- The American College of Medical Toxicology will sponsor the Addiction Medicine Academy in Clearwater, Florida on March 26, 2015. This educational conference is intended for physicians and other health care providers who encounter patients with substance use disorders in their clinical practice. Substance use disorders represent an increasingly important topic in the practice of medical toxicology, as highlighted by the rise of heroin and prescription opioid abuse, concerns over electronic cigarettes, and legalized recreational marijuana. Topics will include reviews of specific therapies used in the treatment of substance abuse, examination of challenges encountered with this special population, and discussions of legal, policy, and administration issues relevant to the clinical practice of addiction medicine.
The conference will begin with a presentation by Eliot L. Gardner, PhD, on the physiological basis of craving, relapse, and addiction. Dr. Gardner is the Chief of the Neuropsychopharmacology Section Intramural Research Program at the National Institute on Drug Abuse in Baltimore, MD. Petros Levounis, MD, Chair of the Department of Psychiatry at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School in Newark, NJ will discuss how an understanding of the neurological basis of addiction can be translated into the clinical approach for treatment of addiction.
Many other distinguished faculty with expertise in addiction medicine and medical toxicology will discuss various approaches to treatment of substance abuse disorders, including use of buprenorphine, methadone, and naltrexone. Treatment of addiction in patients with chronic pain disorders will be reviewed by Edwin A. Salsitz, MD, of the Division of Chemical Dependency at Beth Israel Medical Center in New York. The conference will also use case discussions to illustrate specific challenges, such as the treatment of substance use disorders during pregnancy. Kevin B. Kunz, MD, Vice-President of the American Board of Addiction Medicine will discuss the growth of addiction medicine and pathways to training and practice in this specialty. The course will conclude with a panel discussion focused on the integration of the disciplines of medical toxicology and addiction medicine to serve the growing population of patients with substance use disorders. Timothy Wiegand, M.D., the lead organizer of the conference, states “There is a huge population of patients in need of physicians expert in the treatment of substance use disorders. By bringing together experts in both fields, we hope this conference encourages medical toxicologists to expand their training and practice into this burgeoning area of medicine.”
The Addiction Medicine Academy will take place a day before the start of ACMT’s Annual Scientific Meeting, entitled “Toxicoprevention: Good Intentions, Important Advances, and Unintended Consequences.” The Annual Scientific Meeting will be held at the Hilton Clearwater Beach in Clearwater, Florida from March 27th to 29th.
_______________________________________________________________
About The American College of Medical Toxicology
ACMT is a professional, non-profit association of physicians with recognized expertise in medical toxicology. The ACMT mission is to advance quality care of poisoned patients and public health through physicians who specialize in consultative, emergency, environmental, forensic, and occupational toxicology. For more information, visit http://www.acmt.net, or follow on Twitter @acmt.
ACMT, American College of Medical Toxicology, http://www.acmt.net, +1 (623) 533-6340, [email protected]
Share this article