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Medical Student Well-Being pp 59–71Cite as

Medical Students and Substance Use Disorders

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Abstract

Medical students use more alcohol and other substances than their peers and are at risk for developing substance use disorders (SUDs) which may impact their education and patient-care activities and lead to significant medical or psychiatric morbidity. Medical students use and misuse alcohol and cannabis the most but also misuse other substances, including opioids. Untreated SUDs typically progress to medical student impairment, but early identification and intervention may lead to recovery before impairment occurs. The window of opportunity between illness onset and impairment may be >6 years in this population, but potent barriers limit identification and early referral. One of the most important barriers is the stigma in the medical community toward individuals with SUDs. Well-informed and non-judgmental faculty and peers are important resources in ensuring this uniquely vulnerable population accesses effective care for a potentially lethal disorder. Multimodal treatment, especially when enhanced by case management through physician health programs (PHPs), is remarkably effective in achieving sustained remission and return to educational pursuits and medical practice.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. New York Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA

    Kristopher A. Kast

  2. Cornell University Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA

    Jonathan D. Avery

Authors
  1. Kristopher A. Kast
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  2. Jonathan D. Avery
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Correspondence to Kristopher A. Kast .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA

    Dana Zappetti

  2. Cornell University, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA

    Jonathan D. Avery

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Kast, K.A., Avery, J.D. (2019). Medical Students and Substance Use Disorders. In: Zappetti, D., Avery, J. (eds) Medical Student Well-Being. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-16558-1_3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-16558-1_3

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-16557-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-16558-1

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

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