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Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) Educational Videos Now Available on the Digital Learning Hub

Lost in the news about the surging coronavirus epidemic in the United States is the fact that during the last twelve months, deaths due to opioid overdoses increased to a record level. The CDC estimates that over 80,000 persons died from opioid related overdoses in the twelve months ending in May 2020(1). Your students are now and will be caring for patients with opioid use disorder. The PAEA MAT Waiver Training Initiative, funded as part of the Opioid Response Network (ORN) since 2018, advocated the inclusion of the buprenorphine-waiver training for PA students. Currently 72% of programs are now or will be providing their students the opportunity to complete the online training. To accompany the waiver training, simulated clinical experiences are key in reducing stigmas, building competencies, increasing comfort in dealing with OUD patients, and reducing morbidity and mortality. More information on the MAT initiative can be found here.

National Center for Health Statistics. 2020.

Click the links below to access important OUD-related webinars:  

Advanced Development of SUD Standardized Patient Scripts Webinar

On January 28, 2021 the Advanced Development of SUD Standardized Patient Scripts webinar was presented. The attendees were provided an overview of the current opioid crisis, the results of the recently completed MAT Waiver Training Initiative, and a brief overview of the utility of standardized-patient experiences. This was followed by a small activity where each group developed an opioid use history based on a select patient presentation. A report of each group’s activity followed. The webinar recording will provide you with suggestions on building an opioid use disorder OSCE script.

Example Objective Structured Clinical Experience: Opioid Use Disorder Standardized Patient Encounter

The ORN provided funding for developing and recording standardized patient encounters focused on initial visit and induction to MAT, two subsequent visits involving a dose adjustment and unexpected urine drug test result, and initial counseling visit and development of a Master Treatment Plan. This video can be shown to your students so they might see that, when it comes right down to it, the treatment of OUD is just like treating any other chronic illness.

2020 Education Forum Workshop:  Developing a Substance Use Disorder Standardized-Patient Script

Participants received an overview of the efficacy of using standardized patient (SP) encounters for formative and summative assessments, as well as an introduction to training a SP. Participants also reviewed several developed scripts presented by John Lopes and Lauren Trillo for patients with opioid use disorder and perioperative pain management.


  1. Ahmad FB, Rossen LM, Sutton P. Provisional drug overdose death counts. National Center for Health Statistics. 2020.

View more OUD-related educational information here.

*Funding for this initiative was made possible by grant no. 1H79TI080816-01 from SAMHSA. The views expressed in written conference materials or publications and by speakers and moderators do not necessarily reflect the official policies of the Department of Health and Human Services; nor does mention of trade names, commercial practices, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.