ASAM Annual Medical Scientific Conference Plan to attend the ASAM 40th Annual Medical-Scientific Conference in New Orleans, Louisiana, April 30-May 3, 2009.  The Conference will present the most up-to-date information in the addictions field.  [Learn more about the meeting] click or [register online] ASAM is pleased to announce that Congresswoman Mary Bono Mack (CA) will be joining Nancy Neilsen, MD, President of the American Medical Association, Dr. David Rosenbloom, PhD, President of the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University, and Eric Goplerud, PhD, Director of Ensuring solutions to Alcohol Problems, as a special guest speaker at the Public Policy Plenary of our annual Medical-Scientific Conference.  The Public Policy Plenary is on Saturday, May 2, 2009.  A link to the Public Policy Plenary program has been attached for your review[Public Policy Plenary].  2008 Election Candidates for the offices of ASAM President-Elect, Treasurer and Secretary must be current members of the Board of Directors or have served on the Board within the past four years. An exception may be made in the case of a nominee for the office of Treasurer, who may be a member who possesses other qualifications for the position and who has been on the Finance Committee within the past four years [Slate of Officers 2009-2011] [ 2008 Election Report ] [ASAM's Petition Process]  Grandfathering - ABAM

Grandfathering is the pathway to acquire ABMS certification in a new specialty or subspecialty, without having to complete all of the training requirements that will eventually be established, such as completion of an ACGME-accredited residency program. It is expected that the ABMS grandfathering criteria for certification eligibility would include clinical experience, certification by the American Board of Addiction Medicine (ABAM), and Diplomate status with an established ABMS member board.  The customary grandfathering period is usually about 5 years or 3 exam cycles, after the formal recognition of a new field.  For ASAM and ABAM certified physicians who are not already Diplomates of an ABMS member board, ABAM will facilitate and advocate for the establishment of non-onerous pathways for eligibility for an ABMS-recognized Addiction Medicine examination.   Grandfathering creates a limited opportunity for physicians working in Addiction Medicine to gain ABAM certification, and to eventually sit for a new ABMS certifying examination in Addiction Medicine on the basis of experience.  After this period is over, only those completing an ACGME approved residency would be eligible to be ABMS Diplomates in Addiction Medicine. By becoming an ABAM-certified physician now, a physician enters the pool of physicians potentially eligible to be “grandfathered” into the envisioned ABMS specialty or sub-specialty certification program that ABAM and The ABAM Foundation were created to achieve.     2009 Grandfathering Application Grandfathering FAQ   Letter from ABAM's President     Letter from ASAM's President