Education

Summer Institute for Medical Students (SIMS) is a week-long experiential learning program for 1st and 2nd year medical students to gain first-hand knowledge of treating addiction.

The main objective of the SIMS Program is to provide medical students with the knowledge that addiction is a treatable family disease. In most cases our medical students come to us with very little understanding about the disease of addiction. In addition to their lack of knowledge about the disease is a basic misconception about the addict. Too often students report being coached by their physician mentors to spend as little time as possible with addicts because "there is little that can be done to help them". What the students learn here is that in fact addicts do respond to help and can lead long and productive lives managing their disease.

The heart of the SIMS Program is the time the students get to spend interacting with the patients and participating in their small group therapy sessions. This is the time when students learn directly from the patients and family members how addiction has devastated their lives and their strong desire to find the tools necessary to begin healing from their disease. As one medical student stated, "This time with the patients allows me to put a face to the disease and I feel compassion and a desire to help".

If moments with the patients are the heart of the program, then time spent with the medical staff is the head. Throughout the week the students are provided presentations from our respected medical staff about the physiological nature of the disease, making a diagnosis, talking about addiction with patients, and working with patients in recovery.

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Call us for more information! 877-872-8659

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