The BC Centre on Substance Use (BCCSU) has launched a new online training course to help B.C. health care professionals identify and treat substance use disorders.
The Online Addiction Medicine Diploma will help ensure providers have access to evidence-based education to help improve care across the province. Course topics include screening and diagnosing, safe prescribing, overdose prevention and harm reduction, recovery-oriented care, and treating withdrawal. The course covers a broad range of substance use disorders including opioids, tobacco, alcohol, and stimulants. The modules are led by expert clinicians, educators, and researchers from across the province.
Cheyenne Johnson
“One of the biggest challenges to providing timely and effective treatment of substance use disorder is the lack of training received by all health care practitioners during their formal training,” says Cheyenne Johnson, Director of Clinical Activities and Development at the BCCSU. “This free, accredited online training program will make education easily accessible and give frontline care providers the tools they need to identify substance use disorders and provide evidence-based care to patients and their families.”
The Online Addiction Medicine Diploma is the latest educational initiative of the BCCSU, which began operations this year.
“People struggling with substance use issues need compassionate health-care professionals who understand how to best help someone with addiction,” said Provincial Health Officer Perry Kendall. “BCCSU’s no-cost, online substance use training provides this much needed education on evidence-based treatments. It will help improve supports for people with addictions and builds on the significant work being done across the province to combat the overdose crisis.”
There is no cost associated with the Online Addiction Medicine Diploma, which means courses are accessible to anyone interested in addiction care and treatment, with the goal of broadening health care providers and the general public’s understanding of substance use and evidence-based interventions. The 17 learning modules can be taken individually, though all must be completed to earn the diploma.
The program is fully accredited by the Committee on Accreditation of Continuing Medical Education (CACME), aims to provide continuing medical education for physicians who, in primary care settings, are often the first contact for patients with substance use disorders.
UBC’s Faculty of Medicine assisted the BCCSU with the development of the new diploma program.
To learn more or to register for the program, visit the BCCSU website.