Greater Los Angeles, CA
Greater Los Angeles, CA
Program Description
The Interdisciplinary Advanced Fellowship in Addiction Treatment at the Greater Los Angeles Veterans Affairs Healthcare System is a two-year, full-time interprofessional post-graduate training program that provides individualized mentorship and training in addiction scholarship and clinical practice. Our purpose is to train the next generation of clinicians, scientists, and health-system leaders in the field of addiction.
The GLA IAFAT offers:
- Exceptional mentors, collaborations, and training opportunities with accomplished investigators, leaders, and programs at the Greater Los Angeles VA (GLA) and our academic affiliate, the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA)
- At least 75% protected time for addiction-focused scholarly pursuits
- Advanced training in interdisciplinary research and clinical care across a full continuum of evidence-based addiction programming
- A national network of addiction fellows from 10 sister programs across the country through common interdisciplinary curriculum and cross-site collaboration
Research Opportunities
With their scholarly time, fellows tap into a rich network of potential projects, collaborators, mentors, and research infrastructure across GLA and UCLA ecosystem:
- the Center for the Study of Healthcare Innovation, Implementation & Policy (CSHIIP) [link] focuses on innovative care models to improve outcomes for high-risk/high-need Veterans, including those dealing with substance use disorders,
- the UCLA/VA Center of Excellence for Veteran Resilience and Recovery [link] aims to improve the health and social outcomes of Veterans who are homeless and have complex needs, including substance use disorders,
- the Pain Management and Opioid Safety Center of Excellence conducts research, quality improvement, implementation science, and educational initiatives to improve care for Veterans who experience acute or chronic pain and substance use disorders
- the Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center (MIRECC) [link], focuses on serious mental illness (SMI), including the intersection of SMI with substance use disorders
Clinical Opportunities
For their clinical time, clinical-track fellows join a multidisciplinary team that provides Veterans with the full continuum of evidence‑based behavioral and pharmacologic treatments for substance use disorders. Clinical time also includes weekly didactics on core SUD treatment competencies. Training sites include the outpatient substance use disorder clinic, a 200-bed residential treatment program, an inpatient addiction consult service, an interdisciplinary chronic pain clinic, an alcohol-associated liver disease clinic, and the primary-care mental health integration program.
Focal Areas and Potential Mentors
Our program faculty, clinical champions, and mentors have a strong record of leading impactful research and clinical innovation to improve Veterans substance use disorder care. Mentors specialize in health services research, quality improvement and implementation science, clinical trials, behavioral interventions, medical education, and more.
Evidence-Based SUD Care for
Homeless-Experienced Veterans
Sonya Gabrielian, MD [link]
Michael Hsu, MD [link]
Opioid Risk Mitigation
Comilla Sasson, MD , PhD [link]
Addiction Medical Education
David Lawrence, MD [link]
Zahir Basrai, MD [link]
Behavioral Interventions for SUDs
Kate Wolitzky-Taylor, PhD [link]
Many more potential research opportunities and mentors can be found in our program’s potential mentor dossier [link].
Application Process
We welcome applications from diverse professional backgrounds including psychologists, physicians, clinical pharmacists, (clinical-track) and post-doctoral scientists from health policy, epidemiology, and community health programs (non-clinical track).
Fellows must be US citizens and meet eligibility requirements to train at VA facilities [link]
We are accepting rolling applications. Apply now!
To begin, reach out to one of our program directors for more information:
- Dr. Katherine Bailey, PhD at Katherine.Bailey3@va.gov
- Dr. David Lawrence, MD at David.Lawrence3@va.gov
Director Bios and Headshots
Katherine Bailey, PhD
Katherine Bailey, PhD is a clinical psychologist at the Veterans Affairs Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, Chief of the GLA SUD Subdivision, Assistant Professor at UCLA, and Co-Director for GLA’s Interprofessional Advanced Fellowship in Addiction Treatment. Dr. Bailey oversees clinical care for outpatient SUD programs and manages mental health staff, budgets, and new program development. Clinically, she provides assessment and psychotherapy using motivational interviewing, CBT, and third-wave treatments for Veterans with substance use disorders and chronic pain. She has been working with psychology trainees for over a decade as a clinical supervisor, didactic contributor, and training committee member.
David Lawrence, MD
David Lawrence, MD, FASAM is an internist and addiction medicine physician at the Veterans Affairs Greater Los Angeles (GLA) Healthcare System, Medical Director at the VA’s Downtown Los Angeles Substance Use Disorder Clinic, Assistant Professor at the UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine, and Co-Director for GLA’s Interprofessional Advanced Fellowship in Addiction Treatment. Through a practice grounded in the principles of motivational interviewing and harm reduction, David works as a clinician, educator, and health-systems leader to promote accessible, evidence-based, and compassionate care for people who use substances.
About Los Angeles
Los Angeles is a vibrant city that offers something for everyone, from world-class cultural institutions and renowned restaurants to endless outdoor activities in the mountains, beaches, and desert landscapes. As the nation’s second-largest city, it is home to thriving communities and opportunities to engage with patients from a wide range of backgrounds. Residents enjoy year-round sunshine, an active lifestyle, and the chance to balance rigorous training with access to music, art, sports, and nature just minutes away.