Teaching family medicine residents brief interventions for alcohol misuse

Across the lifespan, alcohol misuse affects a large percentage of patients seen in primary care clinics. It can lead to alcohol use disorders, ranging from risky use to alcohol dependence. Alcohol use disorders frequently complicate acute and chronic illnesses of patients seen in FM clinics. Screening patients for alcohol and substance use has become a standard of practice in most primary care settings. This report describes how a family medicine residency program solidified a residency curriculum in substance abuse screening, assessment, and brief intervention by merging three presentation-style didactics into a blended approach. The curriculum combines didactic teaching, motivational interviewing, and behavioral rehearsal of clinical practice skills. Qualitative feedback suggests that the curriculum has been successful in exposing residents to a variety of practical assessment methods and, through rehearsal, has improved resident confidence in addressing alcohol use and misuse in a primary care population.