
The Curbsiders Addiction Medicine Podcast
Step up your knowledge on caring for patients with substance use disorders (SUD)! This show features addiction medicine experts who are dedicated to bringing you practice changing knowledge about substance use, and substance use disorders. We use expert interviews to demystify common addiction medicine topics, reduce stigma, and inspire listeners to be fierce advocates for all individuals who use substances.
This mini-series is hosted by Doctors Carolyn Chan, Shawn Cohen, Kenny Morford, Natalie Stahl, and friends, where they discuss how to diagnose, assess, and treat a wide-range of substance use disorders.
By listening to these episodes & completing CME through VCU, this can be used to count towards the new DEA 8-hr requirement on substance use disorders education.
We are thrilled to produce season 2 and 3 with support and partnership from The American College of Academic Addiction Medicine (ACAAM) (https://www.acaam.org/board-review-self-study?utm_source=podcast-partner&utm_medium=ad&utm_campaign=curbsiders)
Contact the team at CurbsidersAddictionMed@gmail.com (mailto:CurbsidersAddictionMed@gmail.com) . Follow us on twitter @CurbsidersSUDs (https://twitter.com/CurbsidersSUDs) , show notes available at https://thecurbsiders.com/addiction .
Latest episodes

Sep 7, 2023 • 46min
S2 Ep10: #21 Racism and Inequities in Addiction Medicine with Dr. Myra Mathis
Gain insight into how racialized US drug policies, the War on Drugs, and media portrayals of substance use impact our patients in ongoing ways. Learn how you can take action and intentionally promote equity as a clinician! We’re joined by Dr Myra Mathis, @DrMyraMathis (University of Rochester Medical Center)
Claim free CME for this episode at curbsiders.vcuhealth.org!
By listening to this episode and completing CME, this can be used to count towards the new DEA 8-hr requirement on substance use disorders education.
Credits
Producer, Writer, Show notes, Infographic, Cover Art: Katherine Mullins, MD
Hosts: Carolyn Chan, MD, MHS and Katherine Mullins, MD
Reviewer: Kento Sonoda, MD
Showrunner: Carolyn Chan, MD, MHS
Technical Production: PodPaste
Guest: Myra Mathis, MD
Show Segments
Intro 0:00
Disclaimer 2:00
Guest bio 3:30
Episode Pearls 4:36
Guest One-Liner and Intro 5:15
Definitions (race and racism) 7:13
The War on Drugs 9:09
AntiDrug Abuse Act of 1986 11:47
Fair Sentencing Act of 2010 14:10
Policy in the Fentanyl Era 15:15
Mass Incarceration + Downstream Effects 17:30
Media Portrayals 19:24
Current Treatment Landscape 23:29
Disparities in Overdose Deaths 25:50
The Parallel System of White Supremacy 26:41
The Clinician’s Role: Advocacy on the Policy Level 27:40
The Clinician’s Role: Advocacy on the Clinic Level 29:22
Harm reduction 30:25 - 32:44

Aug 31, 2023 • 50min
S2 Ep9: #20 Extending Knowledge of LAI Buprenorphine with Dr. Ken Lee
Learn about long-acting injectable (LAI) buprenorphine for the treatment of opioid use disorder with Dr. Ken Lee, an addiction medicine provider in Canada. We go over the basics of using LAI buprenorphine, tips and tricks for troubleshooting with patients as well as newer protocols that Dr. Lee and his colleagues use.
Claim free CME for this episode at curbsiders.vcuhealth.org!
By listening to this episode and completing CME, this can be used to count towards the new DEA 8-hr requirement on substance use disorders education.
Episodes | Subscribe | Spotify | Swag! | iTunes | CurbsidersAddictionMed@gmail.com | Free CME!
Credits
Show Notes, Cover Art, Infographics, Producer: Zina Huxley-Reicher, MD
Hosts: Carolyn Chan, MD, MHS and Zina Huxley-Reicher, MD
Reviewer: Payel Jhoom Roy, MD
Showrunner: Carolyn Chan, MD, MHS
Technical Production: PodPaste
Guest: Dr. Ken Lee
Show Segments
Intro, disclaimer, guest bio - 1:58
Guest one-liner - 4:15
Case from Kashlak; Definitions - 5:27
Injectable MOUD - 6:14
Plasma levels of buprenorphine - 7:14
Relative contraindications to LAI buprenorphine- 8:51
Tips for Patient Counseling - 12:28
Starting LAI buprenorphine - 16:01
Side effects of LAI bup - 25:45
Administering LAI bup - 29:06
Dosing Interval - 31:53
Other LAI considerations - 42:19
Take home points - 47:24
Outro - 49:18

Aug 24, 2023 • 55min
S2 Ep8: #19 Return to Use Prevention Counseling with Dr. Eve Lasswell, PsyD
Jumpstart your knowledge on how to counsel patients in primary care to help decrease their risk of returning to substance use! Learn how to help patients identify triggers, develop plans on how to navigate high-risk situations & so much more! We are joined by psychologist Dr. Eve Lasswell PsyD at the University of California San Diego!
Claim free CME for this episode at curbsiders.vcuhealth.org!
By listening to this episode and completing CME, this can be used to count towards the new DEA 8-hr requirement on substance use disorders education.
Episodes | Subscribe | Spotify | iTunes | CurbsidersAddictionMed@gmail.com | Free CME!
Credits
Producer: Era Kryzhanovskaya, MD
Show Notes, Infographics, Cover Art: Carolyn Chan, MD, MHS
Hosts: Carolyn Chan, MD, MHS and Era Kryzhanovskaya, MD
Reviewer: Kento Sonoda, MD
Showrunner: Carolyn Chan, MD, MHS
Technical Production: PodPaste
Guest: Dr. Eve Lasswell, PsyD
Show Segments
Intro, disclaimer, guest bio 00:00
Guest one-liner 5:30
Case from Kashlak 8:25
Preparing for a visit 9:22
Pre - Planning At Risk Scenarios 17:25
Marlatt’s Framework 18:50
People, places, and things 22:55
Pearls and Pitfalls 27:30
Virtual Visits 31:50
Time Limited Visits 35:20
Mutual Support Groups 38:35
Sustained Remission 45:50
Substance Specific Tips 47:15
Take Home Points 49:20
Outro 53:30

Aug 17, 2023 • 1h 3min
S2 Ep7: #18 Urine Drug Testing with Dr. Timothy Wiegand
Toxicologist Dr. Timothy Wiegand discusses interpreting urine drug tests (UDT), false positives, and counseling patients prior to ordering the test. Topics include detection windows, interpreting opiates and opioids in UDT, resources for interpretation, discussing results with patients, buprenorphine testing, specimen validity testing, and saliva testing.

Aug 10, 2023 • 1h 5min
S2 Ep6: #17 Caring for People with Criminal Legal Involvement and SUDs with Dr. Lisa Puglisi
Learn to take a trauma-informed criminal legal history, tailor your MOUD prescribing to meet the needs of patients impacted by the criminal legal system, and advocate for high-quality care in the carceral system and the community. We’re joined by Dr. Lisa Puglisi, @pugleesa (Yale University)
Claim free CME for this episode at curbsiders.vcuhealth.org!
By listening to this episode and completing CME, this can be used to count towards the new DEA 8-hr requirement on substance use disorders education.
Episodes | Subscribe | Spotify | Swag! | iTunes | CurbsidersAddictionMed@gmail.com | Free CME!
Credits
Producer, writer, show notes, infographic, cover art: Shawn Cohen MD
Hosts: Carolyn Chan, MD and Shawn Cohen MD
Reviewer: Sarah Leyde MD
Showrunner: Carolyn Chan, MD
Technical Production: Podpaste
Guest: Lisa Puglisi MD
Show Segments
Intro, disclaimer, guest bio 0-3:50
Learning points 3:50-4:40
Case from Kashlak 4:40-5:51
Mass incarceration as context 5:51-7:45
Taking a criminal legal history 7:45-16:27
Addressing law enforcement in the hospital 16:27-18:00
Health risks of incarceration 18:00-24:39
Opioid Use Disorder and the criminal legal system 24:39-36:00
Documentation 36:00-39:53
Parole, probation, and advocacy 39:53-43:10
Transitioning home 43:10-46:42
Addressing law enforcement in the hospital part 2 46:42-49:45
MOUD when leaving the hospital 49:45-57:28
Take homes 57:28-59:05
Plugs 59:05-1:01:15
Guest one-liner, Picks of the Week* 1:01:15-1:03:43
Outro 1:03:43-1:04:54

Aug 3, 2023 • 57min
S2 Ep5: #16 Distilling Inpatient Alcohol Withdrawal with Dr. Shawn Cohen
Distill the management of inpatient alcohol withdrawal down to its core with Dr. Shawn Cohen (@ShawnCohen_MD, Yale University). This episode is full of practical pearls, and we discuss the ins and outs of managing alcohol withdrawal in the hospital setting. Learn how to triage patients in the hospital, which benzodiazepines to select, the pathophysiology of alcohol withdrawal, and phenobarbital for the management of alcohol withdrawal.
Claim free CME for this episode at curbsiders.vcuhealth.org!
By listening to this episode and completing CME, this can be used to count towards the new DEA 8-hr requirement on substance use disorders education.
Episodes | Subscribe | Spotify | Swag! | iTunes | CurbsidersAddictionMed@gmail.com | Free CME!
Credits
Producer, writer, show notes, cover art, and infographic: Zina Huxley-Reicher, MD
Hosts: Carolyn Chan, MD and Zina Huxley-Reicher, MD
Reviewer: Payel Jhoom Roy, MD, MSc
Showrunner: Carolyn Chan, MD
Technical Production: Podpaste
Guest: Dr. Shawn Cohen
Show Segments
Intro 0:00
Guest bio - 3:17
Case 1- 5:20
Alcohol withdrawal pathophysiology - 6:10
Kindling effect - 9:05
Diagnosing alcohol withdrawal and clinical withdrawal scales - 10:12
Severe alcohol withdrawal definition - 15:26
Triaging a patient - 16:50
Medication management for alcohol withdrawal syndrome- 19:37
Decisions between benzodiazepines and phenobarbital and formulation - 23:47
Choices of benzodiazepines in hepatic impairment - 26:30
Symptom triggered vs. fixed protocol - 28:10
Benzodiazepine resistant alcohol withdrawal - 33:33
Timeline of alcohol withdrawal syndrome symptoms - 42:38
ICU management of alcohol withdrawal - 46:27
Discharge planning and management of alcohol use disorder - 48:50
Take home points - 51:45
Lightning round- 53:43
Outro - 56:01

Jul 27, 2023 • 51min
S2 Ep4: #15 Buprenorphine for Chronic Pain with Dr. Will Becker
Crush chronic pain with buprenorphine. Learn how to assess chronic pain and opioid use disorder (OUD) in patients on long-term opioid therapy, when to consider buprenorphine, and how to make the switch. We’re joined by addiction medicine and pain management expert, Dr. William Becker (Yale School of Medicine).
Claim free CME for this episode at curbsiders.vcuhealth.org!
By listening to this episode and completing CME, this can be used to count towards the new DEA 8-hr requirement on substance use disorders education.
Episodes | Subscribe | Spotify | Swag! | iTunes | CurbsidersAddictionMed@gmail.com | Free CME!
Show Segments
Disclaimer 0:52
Intro, guest bio 1:18
Case from Kashlak; Definitions 4:22
Assessing chronic pain and long-term opioid use 5:22
Treatment options when patients are not benefitting from opioids 11:55
Buprenorphine for chronic pain 14:28
Assessing OUD in patients on long-term opioid therapy 15:54
Buprenorphine mechanism of action 19:17
When to consider buprenorphine for chronic pain 21:12
Buprenorphine formulations 24:25
Switching from full agonist opioids to buprenorphine 29:02
Adding full agonists to buprenorphine 39:30
Take Home Points 46:07
Plug 47:38
Lightning round 48:32
Outro 50:20
Credits
Show Notes, Writer, Producer, Cover Art, Infographics: Kenneth Morford, MD
Hosts: Carolyn Chan, MD and Kenneth Morford, MD
Reviewer: Payel Jhoom Roy, MD, MSc
Showrunner: Carolyn Chan, MD
Technical Production: Podpaste
Guest: Dr. William Becker

Jul 20, 2023 • 58min
S2 Ep3: #14 Getting to the Heart of Injection Drug Use Associated Infectious Endocarditis with Dr. Ayesha Appa
Dr. Ayesha Appa discusses person-centered care when treating infectious endocarditis in injection drug users. The importance of multidisciplinary teams, treatment strategies, and patient-centered history. The challenges of counseling patients on safer injection practices and treatment options for opioid use disorder and infectious endocarditis are also explored.

Jul 14, 2023 • 59min
S2 Ep2: #13 What to Expect: Managing Opioid Use Disorder in Pregnancy with Dr. Terplan
Manage opioid use disorder in pregnancy. Learn how to counsel patients about the importance of medication and medication options, how to think about neonatal abstinence syndrome and recommendations for the postpartum period. We are joined by Dr. Mishka Terplan, on Twitter @do_less_harm (Friends Research Institute).
Segments
Intro, disclaimer: 0:00
Guest bio: 3:00
Case from Kashlak: 5:28
Opioid Use in Pregnancy: 6:17
Approach to a patient: 12:21
Medication Options for OUD During Pregnancy: 13:09
Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome: 25:46
Dosing Considerations: 29:28
Psychosocial Interventions: 38:02
Reporting / Notification Requirements: 39:32
Postpartum care: breastfeeding: 48:04
Take home: 52:12
Lightning Round: 55:22
Outro: 57:39
Claim free CME for this episode at curbsiders.vcuhealth.org!
Writer, Producer, Show Notes, Infographic, Cover Art: Kat Mullins, MD
Hosts: Carolyn Chan, MD, MHS and Kat Mullins, MD
Reviewer: Kento Sonoda, MD
Showrunner and CME: Carolyn Chan, MD, MHS
Technical Production: Podpaste
Guest: Mishka Terplan, MD

Jul 6, 2023 • 1h 4min
S2 Ep1: #12 Listener Q & A on Substance Use Disorders
Put on your Primary Care Cat-Hat
We are thrilled to be back to kick off season 2! Carolyn Chan, MD (@CarolynAChan) soon to be at the University of Cincinnati, Shawn Cohen MD (@ShawnCohen_MD) at Yale University, Kenneth Morford MD at Yale University, and Natalie Stahl MD (@NanouTheNomad) at Greater Lawrence Family Health Center are back and on this episode, they answer burning questions submitted by listeners. We cover topics such as targeted naltrexone, increasing buprenorphine doses, treating kratom dependence, and so much more!
Claim free CME for this episode at curbsiders.vcuhealth.org!
By listening to this episode and completing CME, this can be used to count towards the new DEA 8-hr requirement on substance use disorders education.
Episodes | Subscribe | Spotify | Swag! | iTunes | CurbsidersAddictionMed@gmail.com | Free CME!
Credits
Producer, Show Notes: Kenneth Morford, MD
Infographic and Cover Art: Carolyn Chan, MD, MHS
Hosts: Carolyn Chan MD, MHS, Shawn Cohen MD, Kenneth Morford MD, Natalie Stahl MD, MPH
Reviewer: Payel Jhoom Roy, MD
Showrunner: Carolyn Chan, MD, MHS
Technical Production: PodPaste
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