Addiction medicine board

[shibamomm]

Hi all, anyone planning on trying to sit for the Addiction Medicine Board through the Practice Pathway? It’s open until 2025 and thereafter will require a fellowship. Planning to write it this year and wondering if any others have done it or plan to do so?

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[TexasPhysician]

I did it. Minimal effort placed on studying.

 

[shibamomm]

@TexasPhysician that’s good to know! Were they very particular about the documentation related to the practice hour requirements? Last cycle I tried to ask the board specific questions and they shut me down pretty quickly saying the only way to truly know if something counts is to apply! (In that case, I was asking about the supervision hours I provide to a MAT NP —- she pretty much only sees suboxone patients and GA law has me signing 100% of her controlled substance notes.)

 

[TexasPhysician]

@TexasPhysician that’s good to know! Were they very particular about the documentation related to the practice hour requirements? Last cycle I tried to ask the board specific questions and they shut me down pretty quickly saying the only way to truly know if something counts is to apply! (In that case, I was asking about the supervision hours I provide to a MAT NP —- she pretty much only sees suboxone patients and GA law has me signing 100% of her controlled substance notes.)

A significant portion of your hours need to be at a place dedicated to addiction. I think it’s 75% of the hours. I would expect your hours spent in actual supervision of MAT with the NP would count. That is the actual hours spent, not all of the NP’s hours based on their scripts.

 

[SubzDoc]

Were they very particular about the documentation related to the practice hour requirements?

You can read all the requirements for the practice pathway on the website. The sense that I get is that as long as your application, on paper, meets all those requirements to a T, it will be approved. If it doesn't look right on paper and you're asking for exceptions, good luck. When you fill out the application, there is a calculator for the hours. If you are short on the calculator, I don't think you can even submit the application. If you can submit it, I doubt they will approve it short of any hours. I do full-time addiction work and I used the ASAM book and an online question bank and I passed by a wide margin, but I would not recommend taking the exam without studying.

 

[shibamomm]

You can read all the requirements for the practice pathway on the website. The sense that I get is that as long as your application, on paper, meets all those requirements to a T, it will be approved. If it doesn't look right on paper and you're asking for exceptions, good luck. When you fill out the application, there is a calculator for the hours. If you are short on the calculator, I don't think you can even submit the application. If you can submit it, I doubt they will approve it short of any hours. I do full-time addiction work and I used the ASAM book and an online question bank and I passed by a wide margin, but I would not recommend taking the exam without studying.

Thank you for the input. That’s the general sense I got as well regarding the hours. I planned on a similar study set up, using the ASAM best question bank and book.

 

[SeniorWrangler]

I went to the ASAM review course and it was way more than I needed, but I did learn a lot about weird drugs of abuse like "Krokodil" which was fun.

 

[Merovinge]

I went to the ASAM review course and it was way more than I needed, but I did learn a lot about weird drugs of abuse like "Krokodil" which was fun.

Oh man you missed the Krokodil saga? That was wild.

 

[shibamomm]

I went to the ASAM review course and it was way more than I needed, but I did learn a lot about weird drugs of abuse like "Krokodil" which was fun.

Haha then it was totally worth it!

 

[St. Nicks]

I did the practice pathway and took the test in October 2023, and found out that I passed in January 2024. I think the passing score was 450 and I scored in the 700s. I studied quite a bit and put a lot of time and effort into it.

Here's what I did for studying:
1. Read and did questions from the ASAM Essentials of Addiction Medicine. I didn't actually make it through all the way with reading it, but did make it through all the questions.
2. Watched UCSF Addiction Medicine Bootcamp on Youtube. Free and highly recommended https://www.youtube.com/@ucsfaddictionpsychiatryboo5732
3. ASAM Board review questions // ASAM Board Review: BEST exam. Excellent review. Probably the most helpful thing for doing well on the exam.
4. Listened to all of the Curbsiders Addiction Medicine podcasts. https://thecurbsiders.com/addiction - More helpful for real life treatment of patients with SUDs than for board test prep, but still highly recommended.
5. I liked this for a framework for studying for a test like this: @jtebach twitter threat
https://twitter.com/jtrebach/status/1598019169806872576

I also paid for the ACAAM Addiction Medicine Board prep Question Bank. I did not think this was nearly as helpful as the ASAM board review BEST exam.

 

[shibamomm]

I did the practice pathway and took the test in October 2023, and found out that I passed in January 2024. I think the passing score was 450 and I scored in the 700s. I studied quite a bit and put a lot of time and effort into it.

Here's what I did for studying:
1. Read and did questions from the ASAM Essentials of Addiction Medicine. I didn't actually make it through all the way with reading it, but did make it through all the questions.
2. Watched UCSF Addiction Medicine Bootcamp on Youtube. Free and highly recommended https://www.youtube.com/@ucsfaddictionpsychiatryboo5732
3. ASAM Board review questions // ASAM Board Review: BEST exam. Excellent review. Probably the most helpful thing for doing well on the exam.
4. Listened to all of the Curbsiders Addiction Medicine podcasts. https://thecurbsiders.com/addiction - More helpful for real life treatment of patients with SUDs than for board test prep, but still highly recommended.
5. I liked this for a framework for studying for a test like this: @jtebach twitter threat
https://twitter.com/jtrebach/status/1598019169806872576

I also paid for the ACAAM Addiction Medicine Board prep Question Bank. I did not think this was nearly as helpful as the ASAM board review BEST exam.

Thank you so much for the detailed response and resources. Much appreciated!!

 

[vanfanal]

Do you guys think it makes any sense to be dual boarded in addiction psych and medicine?

 

[TexasPhysician]

Do you guys think it makes any sense to be dual boarded in addiction psych and medicine?

No

 

[littlefred]

No

I know one person that has both.

 

[comp1]

I know one person that has both.

People get a lot of unhelpful education.

 

[Merovinge]

People get a lot of unhelpful education.

My favorite C/L, addictions, forensic neuropsychiatrist says Nuh uh.

 

[littlefred]

People get a lot of unhelpful education.

This one in particular trained in addiction psychiatry and then sat for the addiction medicine board. There was an incentive for the extra board as it was compensated extra by the employer.

 

[ladysmanfelpz]

Are you able to take it as a resident? I will be graduating 2025

 

[TexasPhysician]

Are you able to take it as a resident? I will be graduating 2025

No, you wouldn’t come close to qualifying.