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Introduction

Our 8 courses are divided into three sections based on topic:

Preclinical Modules

Alcohol Use and Misuse and Patient Care

(Further details)

Description

Patient care for alcohol misuse is not generalizable; care must be individualized for each patient. This course presents six individual case studies. Each case study will illustrate how individual variation affects alcohol use, and how individual differences can impact assessment and treatment decisions.

Goal

You will understand how to administer individualized alcohol use treatment.

Learning Objectives

Recognize that alcohol misuse affects each individual differently, and thus affects treatment choices
Interview patients and assess alcohol use in a variety of patients with different medical, social, or family histories.
Tailor specific treatment regimens based on individual life factors to present the most appropriate treatment plan for each patient.

Biological Effects of Alcohol Misuse

(Further details)

Description

This course provides an overview of the biological, neurological, and clinical adaptations that may occur as a result of alcohol misuse.

Goal

You will be able to discuss the biological, neurobiological, and clinical adaptations that result from alcohol abuse or dependence.

Learning Objectives

Explain alcohol pharmacology and its effects on neurodevelopment
Describe how alcohol affects neurotransmitters and the reward mechanism
Teach patients how alcohol misuse can affect the patient on a molecular and genetic level

Clinical Modules

Screening, Assessment, and Diagnosis of Alcohol Abuse or Dependence

(Further details)

Description

Physicians often do not screen patients for alcohol misuse; thus, patients are undiagnosed, which can have lasting negative health impacts. Through this course, you will need the knowledge of how to implement screening instruments and the understanding of how to interpret results and make a clear diagnosis.

Goal

You will be able to confidently screen and assess individuals for alcohol use disorders. If necessary, students will be prepared to make an alcohol use disorder diagnosis.

Learning Objectives

Illustrate the basics of conducting a patient interview assessing for alcohol use disorders
Describe screening instruments and know how to screen and interpret the results
Correctly identify the basic criteria and distinguishing factors between abuse and dependence in patients
Describe a preliminary diagnosis for patients with abuse or dependence and outline a plan for treatment

Brief Intervention and Treatment Referral

(Further details)

Description

Once a physician is able to isolate which of their patients need care for their alcohol use, how do they go about providing an effective intervention which will halt their patient's negative use of alcohol? This course provides an introduction to brief office interventions and how to refer patients to treatment if needed. You will learn proper interviewing skills, choose appropriate treatment plans for different patients, treat withdrawal and prevent relapse.

Goal

You will become proficient in brief interventions and know when and how to refer patients to other types of treatment for alcohol use disorders.

Learning Objectives

Assess a patient's willingness to change and use this assessment to motivate the patient towards treatment.
Provide a brief intervention to patients who misuse alcohol
Assess and refer those patients who are at a higher risk level to a specialist's care.
Manage patients who have relapsed and encourage those patients to attempt treatment again.

Pharmacotherapy

(Further details)

Description

This course provides a brief overview of current pharmaceutical interventions to treat alcohol use disorders. If the treatment is appropriate, you can administer these interventions to help patients halt their negative alcohol use and improve patient health.

Goal

You will understand how the three drugs prescribed for alcohol use disorders affect patient outcomes.

Learning Objectives

Explain to patients how different pharmacotherapies are used to halt negative alcohol use
Select the appropriate pharmacotherapy based on the individual patient needs
Describe emerging pharmacotherapies and the potential to treat alcohol use disorders

The Role of the Physician in Alcohol Abuse Detection and Treatment

(Further details)

Description

When interacting with a patient at risk or diagnosed with alcohol misuse/abuse/dependence, your professional role is to help their patients be healthy. Thus, a natural window exists to include information about your patient's alcohol use in order to determine if it may be negatively affecting their health.

Goal

To demonstrate the important role that physicians play in addressing alcohol use disorders in patients. You will learn what steps they can take as physicians to influence patients who misuse alcohol, how to work with other physicians to coordinate patient care, and how to effectively interview a patient and form a treatment plan.

Learning Objectives

Describe how to confidently interview patients for alcohol use
Recommend to patients a treatment plan that coordinates patient care with other health professionals
Facilitate treatment confidentiality in multiple contexts with multiple parties in a coordinated care effort.
Demonstrate interviewing techniques to assist screening of patients who are reluctant to disclose alcohol use.

Advanced Concepts

Physiological, Psychiatric, and Other Comorbidities

(Further details) Description

Patients who misuse alcohol often have other comorbid diagnoses. This course will present some of the more common comorbidities associated with alcohol misuse so that you may be aware of other circumstances which can influence patient treatment. Goal

You will be able to recognize that patients who misuse alcohol often have comorbid conditions that affect alcohol treatment.

Learning Objectives

Discover and interpret medical complications that arise from increased alcohol use, such as fatty liver, heart damage, and alcoholic hepatitis
Discuss with patients how comorbid mental health complications may affect treatment outcomes
Evaluate how treatment needs might be modified when more than one substance is abused.

Meet Your Patients: Case Challenges

(Further details)

Description

Patient care for alcohol misuse is not generalizable; care must be individualized for each patient. This course presents six individual case studies. Each case study will illustrate how individual variation affects alcohol use, and how individual differences can impact assessment and treatment decisions.

Goal

You will understand how to administer individualized alcohol use treatment.

Learning Objectives

Recognize that alcohol misuse affects each individual differently, and thus affects treatment choices
Interview patients and assess alcohol use in a variety of patients with different medical, social, or family histories.
Tailor specific treatment regimens based on individual life factors to present the most appropriate treatment plan for each patient.