Student/Resident Away Experiences

Students and Residents affiliated with Penn Medicine’s Center for Addiction Medicine and Policy can have the opportunity to explore different programs in the addiction medicine field. Please see below for more information:

Scholarships through ASAM

ASAM Medical Students, Residents, and Fellows Programs

The American Society of Addiction Medicine offers:

  • Free or discounted membership and educational resources
  • Access to addiction medicine courses, journals, and board prep materials
  • Mentorship and networking with addiction medicine physicians nationwide
  • Advocacy involvement and career development support

ASAM Diversity Travel Scholarship

A major national scholarship supporting trainees from underrepresented backgrounds interested in addiction medicine.

Includes:

  • Free registration to the ASAM Annual Conference
  • Mentorship pairing
  • Exposure to addiction medicine careers

ASAM Ruth Fox Scholarship

Scholarship for residents interested in addiction medicine.

Provides:

  • Conference registration
  • Travel/hotel support
  • ASAM membership
  • Career mentorship/networking

Mentorship & Leadership Programs

REACH 2.0 Scholars Program

National mentorship/leadership pipeline in addiction medicine and addiction psychiatry for medical students, residents, and fellows.

Features:

  • National mentorship
  • Near-peer mentorship
  • Leadership development
  • Equity-focused addiction care training
  • Networking with addiction medicine faculty nationwide
  • Annual stipend

Funded Research Programs for Medical Students

UW MedStAR Program

University of Washington Medical Student Addiction Research Program. Focused on increasing access to addiction medicine care in rural Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana and Idaho.

Provides:

  • Addiction medicine mentorship
  • Summer research training
  • Clinical exposure
  • Structured didactics
  • NIH-supported programming
  • Conference presentation opportunities
  • $5,000 stipend

Wilson Scholars in Addiction Medicine Research Award

At University of Pittsburgh Department of Medicine. An 8-week summer addiction medicine research program for medical students between M1 and M2. Apply by early January.

Includes:

  • Mentored addiction research
  • Clinical shadowing
  • Structured didactics
  • Systems/policy exposure
  • Community addiction medicine experiences

Scaife Medical Student Fellowship in Substance Use Disorders (IRETA)

A 3-week immersive addiction medicine training program for medical students with virtual learning and in-person clinical exposure in Pittsburgh.

  • 1 week virtual + 2 weeks in-person (Pittsburgh)
  • Provides a $600 stipend plus housing and meals support
  • Mix of lectures, clinical site visits, patient interaction, and recovery community exposure
  • Includes addiction treatment centers, harm reduction organizations, inpatient/outpatient programs, and sometimes correctional settings

Physician Researchers in Training (PRiT) Program at Boston University

6–7 week funded summer addiction research program for medical students and other graduate-level trainees.

  • Full-time summer research project with a faculty mentor
  • Weekly didactics (addiction science, harm reduction, policy, social determinants)
  • Clinical exposure through observation in addiction treatment settings:
    • Methadone clinics
    • Buprenorphine-based primary care programs
    • HIV/addiction care clinics
    • Needle exchange programs
    • Inpatient addiction consult services
  • Skills gained:
    • Research design, data collection, analysis, and presentation
    • Exposure to addiction treatment systems and harm reduction care
    • Foundational understanding of substance use disorders and treatment approaches
  • Funding: Supported by NIH/NIDA training grants (often includes stipend for participants)

Summer Institute for Medical Students (SIMS) – Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation

A 5-day immersive program hosted by Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation in CA, OR, and MN.

  • Gives medical students firsthand exposure to SUD treatment and recovery.
  • Participants shadow patients and clinicians, attend group therapy sessions, and learn from leading experts in the field of SUD treatment, addiction medicine, and recovery.
  • Email mpe@hazeldenbettyford.org to apply

FHE “Hope for Healing” Scholarship

  • Up to $5,000
  • For students in mental health, behavioral health, psychiatry, nursing, or addiction medicine
  • Requires 3.0 GPA + essay + U.S. residency
  • Open to undergrad, graduate, and medical students

Other Conference Travel Awards

ACMT Resident Travel Award

For the American College of Medical Toxicology conference. Focuses on:

  • Overdose care
  • Toxicology
  • Withdrawal management
  • Substance-related emergencies

Provides:

  • Conference registration
  • Up to $1,500 travel reimbursement

Fellowship Exposure & Educational Pipelines

Yale Program in Addiction Medicine Education Programs

Offers extensive training opportunities for:

  • Medical students
  • Residents
  • APP trainees
  • Junior faculty

Includes: