Program Overview

Introduction to the Substance Abuse Research Education and Training Program

The Substance Abuse Research Education and Training (SARET) program is an interdisciplinary initiative aimed at developing and evaluating innovative approaches to health professional education in substance abuse research and training. This program is a collaboration between the New York University School of Medicine, NYU's College of Nursing, and NYU's College of Dentistry.

Program Overview

The SARET program seeks to address the urgent need for increasing the number of healthcare professionals conducting clinically applicable research in substance abuse prevention and treatment. Despite the significant toll substance abuse takes on society, the pace of discovery of new and effective prevention and treatment strategies remains modest. The program's primary goal is to develop, implement, and evaluate a web-based curriculum supplemented by mentored research opportunities. This curriculum is designed to stimulate medical, nursing, and dental students to pursue career paths that advance clinically-oriented research on substance abuse.

Program Structure and Collaboration

The SARET program will be an interdisciplinary collaboration involving the NYU School of Medicine (Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, and Advanced Educational Systems Laboratory), NYU's College of Nursing, and NYU's College of Dentistry. The collaboration brings extensive experience in developing and evaluating innovative approaches to health professional education and in substance abuse research and training. Partnerships with research, education, and clinical entities, including a NIDA CTN node and Bellevue Hospital Center, will play a crucial role in the program's development, implementation, and evaluation.

Program Objectives

• Develop a web-based curriculum focused on substance abuse research and training.
• Provide mentored research opportunities to stimulate interest in substance abuse-related clinical research.
• Increase the number of physicians, nurses, and dentists who pursue career paths advancing substance abuse-related clinical research.
• Create an educational platform that is simple to update, revise, and export to other health professional schools and training programs.

Program Details

Project Period

The project period for the SARET program is until 05/2027.

Funding Source

The program is funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) through an R25 grant, with the New York University School of Medicine (NYUSOM) serving as the primary institution.

Program Leadership

• PI/Director: Shane D Gallagher, DNP PMHNP-BC, Clinical Assistant Professor, and Associate Program Director for both the Psychiatric-Mental Health NP program and the Specialty Sequence in Substance Use and Addictive Disorders.

Specialties

The program specializes in substance use, reflecting its core focus on substance abuse research, education, and training.

Conclusion

The Substance Abuse Research Education and Training program represents a significant initiative in addressing the critical need for more healthcare professionals engaged in substance abuse research. By developing an innovative, web-based curriculum and providing mentored research opportunities, the SARET program aims to make a meaningful impact on the future of substance abuse prevention and treatment.