Special Episode from the 55th Annual ASAM Conference: Dr. Kwadwo Owusu-Boaitey

Dr. Kwadwo Owusu-Boaitey joined us live from ASAM’s 55th Annual Conference. Dr. Owusu-Boaitey, who is in his first year of residency, shares how he became interested in the field of addiction medicine. He also shares the highlights from his experience at ASAM’s conference, generally and as a Ruth Fox Scholar. He discusses the emphasis he places on treating patients holistically and the importance of all members of the care team in treating addiction. He also reflects on the state of stigma around addiction, based on his experience, and offers advice to the next generation of addiction medicine specialists. Dr. Kwadwo Owusu-Boaitey is a resident physician in psychiatry at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, MA. He completed undergraduate studies in Philosophy (B.A.) and Biological Sciences (B.S.) at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, where he was a Meyerhoff Scholar. He subsequently received his medical degree from Harvard Medical School and his PhD from the MIT Biology Department, where he studied regenerative biology. Dr. Owusu-Boaitey developed a passion for clinical psychiatry and addiction medicine during his latter stages of medical school, and is excited about his career as a budding addiction psychiatrist. His clinical interests are in new drug development (within both addiction and psychiatry broadly), and also the spiritual aspects of holistic addiction care. He serves as a regular volunteer with Miracle Mile Ministries (a faith-based outreach ministry serving people experiencing homelessness and substance addiction in Boston) and is a recipient of a 2024 Ruth Fox Scholarship from the American Society of Addiction Medicine and the 2023 Regional Travel Award from the American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry. Outside of medicine, Dr. Owusu-Boaitey enjoys competitive soccer/basketball, spoken word, and is the world’s biggest fan of The Bible Project. Links: ASAM’s Annual Conference Information Ruth Fox Scholarship Program Information American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry (AAAP) Miracle Mile Ministries The Bible Project If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, you are not alone. Treatment is available and recovery is possible. Visit ASAM’s Patient Resources page for more information. The information shared in this podcast episode is for educational purposes only and should not be taken as medical advice. The views expressed in this podcast may not be those of the host or ASAM management.