In June 2006, Brighton Hospital demonstrated its position as a national leader in the clinical education of chemical dependency specialists by launching its fellowship program in addiction medicine.

The addiction fellowship was inaugurated with the intention of:

• Providing post-graduate medical education and training in addiction medicine to qualified physicians.
• Expanding the pool of chemical dependency trained physicians in Michigan.
• Supporting the vision of Brighton Hospital as an innovator in substance abuse treatment and addiction medicine education.

The fellowship program provides one year of experiential learning at Brighton Hospital and through the St. John Health System. Fellows will have training in all levels of drug and alcohol treatment including outpatient, detoxification, rehabilitation and consultation.  Brighton's addition fellowships increase the quality and quantity of clinical staff at Brighton Hospital and support our vision as a national center of excellence, and an innovator in drug and alcohol treatment and addiction education.

Dr. Nalini Velayudhan, the first fellow at Brighton Hospital, began the nationally recognized fellowship program under the direction of Dr. John Hopper.  "This has been a great opportunity for me to learn, to teach others and to help de-stigmatize the disease of chemical dependency," says Dr. Velayudhan.  "Most medical schools do not study addiction, despite the fact that it is a disease that affects all ages and economic groups."

The Addiction Fellowship Program is open to physicians who hold an unrestricted license to practice medicine in the State of Michigan and are board certified in a specialty recognized by the American Board of Medical Specialties.

Applications for fellowships are reviewed on a rolling basis. For further information contact the Medical Department Assistant at medstaff@brightonhospital.org.