A decade ago when I was in medical school, the opioid pandemic among American children represented a gathering storm. It has now become an all-encompassing and uniquely lethal deluge. Well over half of the substance use disorders that I see in my practice are opioid use disorders – with the typical progression being prescription opioid pills to heroin. As pediatricians, combating this pandemic is the calling of our time. We must educate ourselves about substance use disorders, particularly opioid use disorders. We must equip ourselves with screening techniques and become facile with evidence-based pharmacotherapies and psychosocial interventions. Undertaking ABAM fellowship training or becoming ABAM certified can be invaluable first steps.
For information on the ABAM certification exam, please visit www.abam.net. To learn more about ABAM Foundation fellowship programs, go to www.abamfoundation.org.
Dr. Brennan serves as an attending physician and director of the fellowship in addiction medicine at The Addiction Institute of New York – Mount Sinai Health System. He is board certified in pediatrics and addiction medicine. Dr. Brennan said he had no relevant financial disclosures.