Program Overview

Introduction to the Addiction Psychiatry Fellowship

The Addiction Psychiatry Fellowship at UT Southwestern Medical Center is designed to educate psychiatrists dedicated to advancing medical science, education, and healthcare for individuals with substance use disorders. The program aims to increase the number of psychiatrists working in the field and collaborate with colleagues to improve patient health.

Program Features

• Clinical Opportunities: The program offers abundant opportunities for fellows to develop as addiction psychiatrists, including collaborative learning with distinguished faculty in emergency medicine, family and community medicine, and other specialties. Clinical opportunities are available in inpatient, partial hospital, outpatient, and community psychiatry settings, serving a diverse patient population.
• Didactics: The didactics cover the scope of psychobiological aspects of substance abuse and addiction, including:
  • Neurobiology of alcohol, cocaine, opioid, narcotic, and nicotine addiction, detoxification, and management
  • Addiction in subpopulations such as women, adolescents, and the elderly
  • Diagnosis and management of common co-morbidities, notably hepatitis, HIV, and other infections, and co-occurring psychiatric disorders
  • Facilitation in addiction group counseling programs such as 12-Step
  • Assessment and screening methods
  • Pharmacotherapies for addiction
• Application Process: The application process includes submitting a curriculum vitae, personal statement, transcripts from medical school, copies of USMLE or COMLEX scores, and three letters of recommendation from faculty supervisors.

Rotations

The fellowship includes rotations at various sites, providing a comprehensive learning experience:

• UT Southwestern Medical Center: Fellows work in the Addiction Clinic, providing daily outpatient substance use disorder treatment services.
• Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas: Fellows participate in medically supervised inpatient withdrawal treatment and intensive outpatient programs.
• Parkland Health & Hospital System Psychiatry Consultation-Liaison Service: A required 4-month rotation where fellows perform inpatient psychiatric consultations on patients with substance abuse problems.
• Perinatal Intervention Program and Integrated Family Planning Opioid Program: Fellows optimize addiction-related healthcare for pregnant and post-partum women.
• Pain Clinic Rotation at Moody Outpatient Center: Exposure to the complex relationship between pain, opioid dependence, and opioid use disorder.
• North Texas VA Health Care System: Participation in diagnosis, treatment, and continuing care of veterans with substance use disorders.
• Nexus Recovery Center: A substance use disorder treatment program for women, including withdrawal management, inpatient residential treatment, and outpatient programs.
• Teen Recovery Program: A dual-diagnosis program for teenagers with mental illness and co-occurring substance abuse issues.

Alumni

The program has a strong track record of alumni achievements, with many going on to work in various clinical, research, and academic settings. Notable alumni include:

• Adriane dela Cruz, M.D., Ph.D.: Selected as a "Rising Star" by MSP Communications and featured in Texas Monthly.
• Juan Sosa, M.D.: Accepted into the Texas Medical Association Leadership College Class of 2026 and received a Master Educator IDEA Fellowship Award.

Program Director and Coordinator

• Program Director: Sidarth Wakhlu, M.D.
• Program Coordinator: Tywana Sanders

Community Engagement and Research

The program is actively engaged in community events and research presentations, including hosting an information table at the Shatterproof Walk to End Addiction Stigma in Dallas and presenting research at the American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry meeting.

Faculty Achievements

Faculty members have received distinguished awards for patient care and excellence in clinical medicine, including the Patricia and William L. Watson Jr., M.D. Award for Excellence in Clinical Medicine.

Institutional Awards

UT Southwestern Medical Center has been awarded grants for community-based opioid recovery efforts and has been recognized for its commitment to patient care and research excellence.