Prepare for the Addiction Psychiatry questions that define your next chapter

Question practice

Questions drawn from the realities of Addiction Psychiatry

Practise explaining the clinical decisions, patient conversations and career experiences that matter in Addiction Psychiatry—then handle follow-ups that ask for evidence behind your first answer.

1. 01

   Share an instance where you felt particularly challenged or inspired by a patient with co-occurring substance use and severe mental illness, leading you to consider this subspecialty.

2. 02

   A pregnant patient with opioid use disorder, who is also experiencing intimate partner violence, presents to your outpatient clinic seeking help; what specific considerations and interventions would be critical in developing her treatment plan?

3. 03

   How do you manage a patient with active substance use who consistently blames others for their problems and expresses hostility towards the treatment team?

4. 04

   A patient with chronic pain, anxiety, and a history of opioid use disorder requests a refill of their benzodiazepine from you, despite a clear contract with their pain specialist to manage all controlled substances; what are your ethical responsibilities?

5. 05

   Describe a research question related to addiction psychiatry that you find particularly compelling, perhaps involving novel treatments for stimulant use disorder or strategies to reduce stigma, and why it interests you.

6. 06

   What specific rotations or clinical experiences within our Addiction Psychiatry fellowship program particularly attract you, and how do you see them aligning with your learning goals for managing complex co-occurring disorders?