Palo Alto, CA
Palo Alto, CA
Program Description
The VA Palo Alto Health Care System, in collaboration with Stanford University School of Medicine, offers a two-year interdisciplinary advanced fellowship in addiction treatment. Fellows will engage in research and clinical training across a wide range of projects designed to advance care for Veterans with alcohol use disorder (AUD) and substance use disorder (SUD). Not only will fellows benefit from dual Stanford University and VA appointments, but they will also receive a rich interprofessional training environment across disciplines, including physicians, psychologists, nurse practitioners, and chaplains. Furthermore, they will be a part of a large cohort with multiple 2-year advanced fellowships (i.e., MIRECC, GRECC, WRIISC, etc.).
Curriculum, Competencies, and Objectives
- Interdisciplinary Research/Scholarly Activity
- Interprofessional Clinical Team Functioning
- Career Development/Professionalism
- VA Organization and Priorities
Research and Clinical Opportunities in Addiction
Fellows participate in both mentored research activities and experiential clinical training. Research training include opportunities that span clinical science (e.g., biomarker development, neuromodulation) and health services research (e.g., health policy, informatics, implementation) as well as opportunities to be involved in clinical trials of brain-based, psychosocial, and telehealth innovations. Clinical training will comprise 25% of fellows’ effort and include opportunities to work across inpatient and outpatient settings, neuropsychological assessments, and integrated treatment programs for Veterans with AUD/SUD. Fellows work with providers trained in contingency management (CM), motivational interviewing (MI), medications for opioid and alcohol use disorder (MOUD/MAUD), and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for AUD/SUD.
Fellows will also have the opportunity to be involved in VA Advance Fellowship didactics and seminars, professional development seminars, both of which will meet requirements for licensure in clinical psychology in California and many other states. Furthermore, fellows can also participate in grant writing workshops and optional classes at Stanford University, such as advanced statistics, advanced neuroimaging methods, and clinical trials.
Focal Areas
- Biomarkers
- Neuromodulation
- Clinical Trials Clinical Informatics
- Telehealth
- Health Policy
Potential Mentors
- Michael Ostacher, MD, MPH, MMSc – Pharmacology, depression, bipolar management
- Timothy Durazzo, PhD – Neurobiological and neurocognitive recovery, TMS
- Daniel Blonigen, PhD – Psychosocial treatment, digital health, assessment
- Claudia Padula, PhD – Neural correlates of addiction, relapse prediction, TMS
- Jerome Yesavage, MD – Cognitive effects of substance abuse, TMS
- Jodie Trafton, PhD – Program evaluation, big data, pain and addiction
- Keith Humphreys, PhD – Addiction policy, health services
- Todd Wagner, PhD – Health economics, big data, policy evaluation
- Corey Keller, MD, PhD – Neuromodulation, TMS mechanisms
- Steven Lindley, MD, PhD – Chronic stress/PTSD, pharmacology
- Michelle Madore, PhD – Neuropsychology and neuromodulation for AUD/SUDs
- Elizabeth Olivia, PhD – Opioid safety and risk mitigation, OEND, program evaluation
- Jong Yoon, MD – Psychiatric neuroimaging (e.g., fMRI, PET), neuromodulation
- Kimberly Brodsky, PhD – Psychosocial interventions, trauma, group psychotherapy
- Kyle Harrison, MD – Co-occurring pain/SUD, MOUD (Bup induction)
- Eric Lin, MD – Clinical informatics, applied psychiatry (AI/NLP/ML)
- Dexter Louie, MD – Board-certified Addiction Psychiatrist, dual-diagnosis
- Margaret May, MD – Acute care, women’s health, bioethics
Application Process
Applicants from diverse disciplines, including psychology, psychiatry, medicine, social work, and related fields, are encouraged to apply. Required application materials include:
- Cover Letter:
- Please detail your previous research and clinical experiences; your areas of research and clinical interests and their alignment with the relevant opportunities at the site; your specific research and clinical goals on the fellowship; and your preferred mentor(s).
- Curriculum Vitae (CV)
- A work sample, such a published manuscript on which you are first author or other written product that highlights your work relevant to the identified emphasis area, and
- Three signed letters of recommendation. One of these letters must be from your primary research mentor.
Applications materials should be submitted by email to Dan Blonigen (Daniel.Blonigen@va.gov) and Claudia Padula (Claudia.Padula@va.gov). Applications will be accepted and reviewed on a rolling basis until December 31, 2025.
Fellowship Leaders
Michael Ostacher
Michael Obstacher, MD, MPH, MMSc - Professor, Department of Psychiatry, Stanford University School of Medicine; Director, VA Advanced Fellowship in Addiction Treatment
Daniel Blonigen
Daniel Blonigen, PhD - Associate Professor, Department of Psychiatry, Stanford University School of Medicine; Co-Director, VA Advanced Fellowship in Addiction Treatment
Timothy Durazzo
Timothy Durazzo, PhD - Professor, Department of Psychiatry, Stanford University School of Medicine; Co-Director, VA Advanced Fellowship in Addiction Treatment
Claudia Padula
Claudia Padula, PhD - Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry, Stanford University School of Medicine; Co-Director, VA Advanced Fellowship in Addiction Treatment
Clinical Leads
Steven Chan
Steven Chan, MD, MBS, FAPA, FAMIA - Clinical Associate Professor (Affiliated), Department of Psychiatry, Stanford University School of Medicine; Medical Director, Addiction Treatment Services, VAPAHCS
Edwin Kim
Edwin Kim, MD - Clinical Assistant Professor (Affiliated), Department of Psychiatry, Stanford University School of medicine; Director, Addiction Treatment Services, VAPAHCS
About Palo Alto
Palo Alto, located in the heart of Silicon Valley, offers a unique blend of innovation, culture, and community. The city is home to Stanford University and surrounded by world-class medical centers, research institutes, and technology companies, fostering an atmosphere of discovery and collaboration. Beyond academia and industry, Palo Alto and the broader Bay Area are known for their cultural diversity, vibrant arts and food scenes, and abundant opportunities for community engagement. With year-round mild weather and proximity to both the Pacific Coast and scenic hiking trails in the Santa Cruz Mountains, the region offers an exceptional quality of life that balances professional growth with outdoor recreation and cultural enrichment.