“From All Walks of Life”: Attending an Alcoholics Anonymous Meeting to Reduce Addiction Stigma Among Medical Students

Addiction Teaching and Training in the General Psychiatry Setting

“…Field trips in the community to develop familiarity with local addiction resources can also combat stigma. In-person contact with patients in recovery such as attending Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) meetings challenges learners' negative perceptions, broadens their understanding of SUDs, and also improves attitudes [23].…”

A call for increased addiction psychiatrist engagement in medical student education

“…Additionally, the philosophy of approaching patients with curiosity and a desire to understand their narrative and what matters to them rather than what is wrong with them is a perspective taught by addiction psychiatry that is invaluable for all specialties and something learners will experience in addiction psychiatry services. This approach helps combat stigma by beginning to deconstruct our tendency to distinguish “us” from those with the disease of addiction as “them.” 4,7 Such real‐life skills cannot be taught or learned in a classroom setting and require clinical exposure to patients with clinician‐educators serving as role models.…”

“…4,5 This approach helps combat stigma by beginning to deconstruct our tendency to distinguish "us" from those with the disease of addiction as "them." 4,7 Such real-life skills cannot be taught or learned in a classroom setting and require clinical exposure to patients with clinician-educators serving as role models.…”

“…In particular, medical students seldom have opportunities to work with faculty dedicated to treating these conditions within general medical settings. Experiential learning in addiction psychiatry will help medical students dispel any pre-existing biases and may help attract more to work with patients with SUDs and other psychiatric conditions in their professional careers 7. Stigma plays an unfortunate role in deterring students and residents from wanting to work with patients with SUDs and from pursuing careers in addiction psychiatry.…”

In This Issue: December 2020

“…At the same time, we know that we must keep an eye on the more qualitative, but equally real, skills of connection, alliance, and collaboration with patients. The paper by Balasanova et al [4] is an excellent example of thematic analysis of student experience with a stigmatized group of patients (in this case those living with addictions). The authors contribute to the literature on how the right kind of exposure, supported by supervision and reflection, can decrease stigma.…”