Present on the conference call were Drs. Marc Schuckit, Marianne Guschwan, Susan Tapert, Maritza Lagos, Michelle Lofwall, Timothy Lineberry, Theadia Carey, Krishna Balachandra, John Wryobeck, Joanna Piechniczek-Buczek, Laurie McCormick, and Marcy Gregg.

The conference call began with a review of our Agenda.  This was followed by a discussion of the excellent progress being made by most first-year scholars regarding their AMSP lectures.  Furthermore, Marc reviewed the guidelines for the development of slides, and a deadline of February 1^st was set for the time that slides need to be developed and discussed with Senior Scholars.  The scholars were reminded that March 1^st, 2009 is the very latest date where the full lecture with slides, lecture outline, and bibliography were to be completed.

Marc next reviewed the upcoming meeting in New York.  Scholars were reminded to please try to be in downtown Manhattan by mid-afternoon (perhaps 2:00 or 3:00 p.m.) on Wednesday, April 1^st, as we will be getting together that evening, perhaps as early as 5:00 or 6:00 p.m.  Everyone was also reminded that the meeting will end promptly at noon on Saturday, April 4^th, and it is important to not leave the meeting before the noon deadline.  The spring meeting, as usual, will be used for presentation of the first-year scholar=s lectures, but also offer an opportunity for the second-year scholars to represent their work, and for Marc to review the lecture on AHow to Give a Lecture.@  Susan Tapert will also present information regarding development of slides, etc.

Marc reminded the scholars that the Research Society on Alcoholism meeting this year is being held in San Diego beginning on Saturday, June 20^th, 2009.  AMSP is sponsoring a symposium or workshop related to alcohol education, and Marc will host a breakfast for AMSP scholars who are attending.

The group next reviewed the accomplishments at their universities since the prior meeting.  These included:

1.  Tim Lineberry reviewed current efforts at Mayo Clinic.  He continues to provide substance abuse and dependence education to third year medical students as part of their didactic series during their rotation.  He is also working on organization of the medical school=s Psychopathology course as course director.

2.  Michelle Lofwall presented her accomplishments.  She is an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Kentucky and a first-year AMSP scholar.  To date, Dr. Lofwall has taught the rheumatology fellows about prescription opioid abuse and dependence and pain during a one-hour seminar.  Within the next three months, she is 1) giving OB/GYN grand rounds in February 2009 on treatment of opioid dependence during pregnancy as a result of a meeting with the maternal-fetal medicine group, 2) teaching two hours of didactics on substance use disorders to neurology residents, and 3) teaching two hours of lectures to the 2^nd year medical students on drug and alcohol use disorders.

3.  Next, John Wryobeck reported he has met with the Director of Curriculum Development at the University of Toledo to discuss the need for education and training in the area of alcohol and drug assessment and treatment.  He received her support to formally survey the clerkship directors on what is currently taking place across all clerkships.  He expects this survey to take place over the next two months.  He has been asked to present his findings to faculty, along with recommendations for enhancing medical student education in this area.

4.  Krishna Balachandra next reported on progress at the University of Alberta.  Departure of a prominent academic addiction psychiatrist has created both a crisis and opportunity for Dr. Balachandra to review and enhance substance abuse/dependence curricula for undergraduate and postgraduate medical students.  He is currently focusing on developing a one month PGY-1 elective for psychiatry residents.  He is also reviewing the lectures for 2^nd year residents and has reviewed the substance use lecture for 3^rd year medical students.  He has been invited to give a lecture on co-occurring disorders to 2^nd year psychiatry residents.

5.  Theadia Carey, a first-year scholar, has looked into the education of medical students in substance use disorders at the University of Michigan.  Currently there are 2.5 hours of lectures to the medical students, 1.5 hours on recognition and treatment of substance use disorders given during the 3^rd year clerkship, and 1 hour lecture on “Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Disorders in Physicians.”  She will be working with the clerkship director of psychiatry to increase the number of lectures on substance use disorders.  Dr. Carey is working to improve the clinical experience of the 3^rd year medical students during the rotation in the substance abuse clinic.

6.  Joanna Piechniczek-Buczek reported making efforts to get involved in enhancing medical students, residents and fellows education at Boston University School of Medicine.  In the past few months she has been involved in the following activities: 1) With regards to medical students: She met with a director of medical student psychiatry education and discussed the substance use disorders teaching curriculum and offered her participation in reviewing and updating current teaching materials.  She also teaches 3^rd year medical students rotating through her academic site.  Bedside assessments, brief interventions and treatment referrals are the primary focus.  In addition, she facilitates medical student= involvement in the MASSBIRT program.  2) With regards to addiction psychiatry and psychosomatic fellows: She is involved in coordinating addiction psychiatry fellows at her teaching site, focusing on treatment and assessment of elderly substance abusers and treatment of substance withdrawals in a medically ill population. She has also made a presentation on treatment of acute and chronic pain in opiate-dependent patients.  3) With regards to hospital activities: She collaborates with the director of hospitalists service and the chief of emergency medicine on updating hospital guidelines on management of ethanol and opioid withdrawal. 

7.  Laurie McCormick is working with two other psychiatrists at her medical school who are involved with medical student education to get a lecture together for M1 or M2 students using the Calgary-Cambridge model for teaching, which is similar to motivational interviewing to treat patients with alcoholism.  Her goal is to reach students earlier in their training.  They will also try to coordinate involvement of medical students with the Doctors Ought to Care Program after they have attended this lecture.

The conference call ended with a review of the meeting venue in New York.  We hope to be joined by some graduate scholars including Jill Williams, Evaristo Akerele, and Steven Madonick.  We also received the wonderful news that we will be able to extend AMSP for at least another year, and scholars were asked to think of suggestions they might have regarding potential scholars for the future.

The meeting adjourned before 1:00 p.m. (San Diego time) with good wishes to all, and to all a good day.

Marc A. Schuckit, M.D.