Education and training in addictive diseases

Addiction to alcohol and other drugs is a serious public health problem that is one of the most common disorders seen in medical practice. Although it is an extremely common disorder, it is poorly diagnosed and treated by physicians. Training about addictions must begin early in the medical student's career and continue in a vertically integrated way throughout medical school and residency. The notion of addiction as a disease process must be introduced and integrated into course materials in the preclinical years. Careful attention to the development of positive views toward working with addicted patients must be paid, and students must be indoctrinated early with the idea that physicians have a responsibility to diagnose and manage addicted patients.