Physicians contribute in many ways in public health and played critical roles in the health and public health sector during the COVID-19 pandemic. For some physicians, the pandemic proved to be the time to transition into a public health role and career. This presentation will highlight unique roles that physicians employed by a national foundation and placed in jurisdictional health departments played during the pandemic. What did they do, what were their backgrounds, what skills sets were needed, what lessons were learned, how did the work align with the 10 essential services of public health and what advice did they provide for others who choose to venture into the exciting walls of a public health department and a field that focus on population health. Through this experiential storytelling, the presenter will highlight the innovative, interesting and essential roles and contributions made by physicians from various background during the pandemic.

This session applies to at least one of the three core curricular training elements outlined by the DEA requirements for Substance Use Disorders Training; (1) substance use disorders, (2) effective treatment planning, and (3) pain management and substance misuse. CME offered by ACPM, including CME completed at Preventive Medicine 2023 is AMA accredited, and meets the standards for completion of this requirement.

Section 1263 of the ‘Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023’2 otherwise known as the Medication Access and Training Expansion (MATE) Act, requires new or renewing Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) registrants, as of June 27, 2023, to have completed a total of at least 8 hours of training on opioid or other substance use disorders, as well as the safe pharmacological management of dental pain. For more information visit: Recommendations for Curricular Elements in Substance Use Disorders Training | SAMHSA.