Addiction Medicine and Addiction Medicine Fellowship

The addiction medicine fellowship is part of our St. Louis family medicine residency program.

• Integrated model of care in our residency continuity clinic at Family Care Health Center (an FQHC) that includes behavioral healthcare and addiction medicine
• Community-based training complements traditional training in academic health centers

Our one-year fellowship (13 four-week blocks) emphasizes: 

• Patient-centered care that strives to make treatment attractive
• Transitions from inpatient to outpatient care
• Telehealth and interprofessional practice
• Emphasis on continuity clinics
• Focus on community engagement
• Protected time for teaching medical students, residents, fellows and faculty

Core Rotations

• Addiction medicine consult service at SSM Health St. Louis University Hospital (two months),
• Psychiatry at SSM Health St. Louis University Hospital (two months),
• Maternal fetal medicine at the WISH Center at SSM Health St. Mary’s Hospital (one month), and
• Virtual care at Assisted Recovery Centers of America (one month)

Curriculum Includes

• National Didactic Series of the American College of Academic Addiction Medicine
• Board-preparation resources for the American Board of Medical Specialties board exam
• Twice-monthly Thursday evening Saint Louis University Addiction Medicine Virtual Learning Community
• Participation in the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation Peers in Residence Program
• Scholarship opportunities

Faculty

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Eligibility Requirements

1. Completion of an ACGME-accredited residency training program
2. Board certified or planning to become board certified (before fellowship start date)
3. Must be eligible to receive a Missouri License and Federal DEA registration
4. Must be eligible to be a Medicaid provider

Preferences:

1. Primary care specialty in primary board certification
2. Interest in practicing in Missouri upon fellowship completion

We welcome applications through ERAS for two fellows for July 2023.

Our program will participate in the NRMP Medicine and Pediatric Specialties Match.  Our NRMP code is 1365404F0.

For information about the fellowship, please contact Dr. Rottnek at fred.rottnek@health.slu.edu.

What is Addiction Medicine?

Addiction medicine includes the prevention and education, screening, diagnosis, treatment and recovery support of individuals with unhealthy substance use and substance use disorders. Services are provided to patients across the lifespan. Care is provided by physicians and interprofessional teams who work in diverse settings — including clinical medicine, public health, education, and research.

The Practice of Addiction Medicine at Saint Louis University

At Saint Louis University, the practice of addiction medicine is characterized by:

• Interprofessional collaborative practice team that centers on the patient
• Inpatient and emergency department consult liaison service at SSM Health St. Louis University Hospital for patients with substance use disorders 
• Continuity of care across SLUCare practices and community partners
• Outpatient services and provider/team education in substance use disorder prevention and treatment
  • Assisted Recovery Centers of America (ARCA)
• Training of health professional students and trainees across disciplines to be providers and change agents in the practice of addiction medicine
• Research and program evaluation to promote excellence and disseminate best practices in the burgeoning field of addiction medicine

Assisted Recovery Centers of America (ARCA)

ARCA has been providing addiction, behavioral health, and co-occurring disorder services since 2001. In 2018, Fred Rottnek, M.D., MAHCM, contracted with ARCA as their medical director. ARCA provides in-person and telehealth services to 19 agencies and 37 sites in Missouri and is on track to serve 36,000 patients in 2018. ARCA partners with the Missouri Department of Mental Health and the Missouri Opioid Response to provide patient care, provider education, and practice management expertise to partnering agencies. 

The ARCA philosophy is grounded in scientific evidence-based research, which indicates that the most effective way to treat the disorder of addiction is through a combination of anticraving medications paired with psychiatric and behavioral counseling care on an outpatient. This approach allows the recovery process to take place in the patient’s home and natural environment.

The ARCA programs are focused on four key aspects:

1. Medical withdrawal management
2. Anticraving medications
3. Concurrent treatment of any co-occurring psychiatric disorder
4. Sustained and individualized therapy on an individual, group, and family basis to prevent relapses and achieve long-term recovery

Visit Assisted Recovery Centers of America