Worcester, Mass.-based University of Massachusetts Medical School is changing its curriculum so graduates are better prepared to deal with issues of opioid abuse and dependence, according to The Boston Globe.
Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker's (R) Medical Education Working Group on Prescription Drug Misuse said last week that all medical schools in the state must teach 10 "core competencies," which include developing treatment plans for addiction and counseling for behavioral change.
"We're the state's public medical school," said Michael F. Collins, MD, chancellor of UMass Medical School. "When the governor says this is a priority, we pay attention."
Though the medical school already teaches many of the core competencies, it will add hands-on learning — including an Opioid and Safe Prescribing Training Immersion program — to the curriculum.