Overview
The Concurrent Disorders & Pain Fellowship is a fully funded, one-year, part-time training opportunity in the assessment and management of patients with co-occurring substance use disorders, psychiatric conditions, and complex pain. Fellows benefit from protected time for clinical care, academic learning, and optional research.
What you'll gain
Clinical Experience
The primary training will take place with the Integrated Psychiatry, Pain, and Addiction consult service (IPPAS), located at Vancouver General Hospital (VGH). Fellows will gain hands-on experience in the following, but not limited to: addiction pharmacotherapies, (e.g., opioid agonist therapy and medications for alcohol use disorder), as well as withdrawal management, and integrated treatment of concurrent mental health disorders, (e.g., mood, anxiety, psychotic, personality, and post-traumatic stress disorders). Fellows will also gain valuable experience in acute, chronic, and perioperative pain management, in the context of substance use disorders. Patient caseloads will offer a well-rounded variety of experiences, tailored to the needs of each fellow. Fellows will work in interdisciplinary teams with nurses, social workers, and pharmacists, etc. to provide patients with comprehensive wrap-around care. At all rotations, fellows will be under the supervision of an addiction psychiatrist. Fellows will be on a mixed IPPAS/General Psychiatry call at VGH.
Academic & Research Activities
Academic learning includes weekly case review rounds, monthly journal club, supervised opioid agonist therapy (OAT) prescribing, and optional research or capstone development.
Rotations
Fellows rotate through longitudinal and block-based placements across hospital, outpatient, and community settings within Vancouver Coastal Health and provincial health networks. Clinical experiences are designed to offer diverse, interdisciplinary exposure to the spectrum of concurrent disorders and pain care.
Core Rotations (10 months total)
Duration: 4 months
An interdisciplinary consult service providing integrated care for pain, substance use, and mental health disorders. Fellows work across Vancouver General Hospital, G.F. Strong Rehabilitation Centre, and UBC Hospital.Duration: 3 months
This inpatient unit offers long-term, intensive treatment for clients with co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders. Fellows gain experience in comprehensive, trauma-informed care.Duration: 2 months
Located in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside, H2H provides integrated primary care to clients with complex needs, including substance use, mental illness, HIV, and HCV.Duration: 1 month
Live-in programs offering 24-hour care for youth and adults with substance use or behavioural addictions. Fellows are supervised by an addiction psychiatrist and exposed to varied program models and recovery trajectories.
Longitudinal Rotations (6 months each, alternating throughout the year)
Duration: Half-day/week for 6 months
An interdisciplinary outpatient clinic providing short-term pain management services to optimize outcomes pre- and post-surgery.Duration: Half-day/week for 6 months
Outpatient clinics providing medication-assisted treatment and psychosocial support for patients with opioid use disorder. Fellows are supervised by an addiction psychiatrist.Duration: 2 months each
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Royal Oak Clinic
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Hope to Health (H2H) Clinic (expanded role)
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Foundry Vancouver–Granville
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Elective Rotations (1 month each, flexible based on fellow’s interests)
Specialized consult service offering trauma-informed care for youth with substance use disorders. Fellows engage with youth with lived experience and connect them to community-based services.
A 105-bed facility in Coquitlam delivering trauma-informed, evidence-based care to individuals with the most complex substance use and mental health needs in BC.
Rotations take place in BC’s correctional centres, where fellows support high-need populations and work with interdisciplinary teams providing care to individuals with high rates of mental illness and addiction.
BC’s largest rehab centre offering care to patients with acquired brain injury, spinal cord injury, and neuromusculoskeletal conditions.
Pending availability, fellows may explore global perspectives on addiction and mental health care.
ACT teams deliver wraparound, community-based services to individuals with severe and persistent mental illness or substance use challenges who are not well-served by traditional outpatient care.
e.g., Neuropsychiatry, Mood Disorders, Sleep Medicine – for fellows interested in broadening clinical exposure.
Dedicated time to develop or contribute to an academic project under the guidance of Azar Lab faculty.
Fellowship structure
Program duration
12 months, part-time
Schedule
Typically one clinical day per week, with academic meetings as scheduled.
Compensation
Fellows are remunerated for their clinical work; academic activities may not be compensated and are considered part of professional development.
Designation
Physician Fellow
Application
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Licensed physician in good standing
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Interest or experience in addiction, psychiatry, internal medicine, or related disciplines
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Open to nurses of all designations (RNs, RPNs, NPs)
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Must be currently employed (FTE or part-time)
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Community-based nurses are welcome to apply; if located outside the Lower Mainland, please contact the program team to discuss feasibility of participation
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Commitment to the full duration of the fellowship (12 months, part-time)
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Completed Application Form
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CV or Résumé
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Statement of Interest
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Letter of support from a supervisor or colleague
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Fellows are expected to attend research meetings, educational sessions, and other enrichment activities as part of the broader learning experience. These activities are not financially compensated and are considered part of the fellowship’s spirit of professional development and volunteerism.
Team
Victor Li
Associate Fellowship Director
Dr. Pouya Azar
Fellowship Director
FAQ
This fellowship is open to licensed physicians with a demonstrated interest in concurrent disorders, pain management, addiction medicine, psychiatry, internal medicine, or related disciplines. Both early-career and experienced clinicians are encouraged to apply.
The fellowship spans 12 months on a part-time basis. Fellows typically dedicate one clinical day per week, along with periodic academic meetings, case rounds, and optional research participation.
No. The fellowship is designed to complement your existing employment and can be undertaken while maintaining your current role.
Fellows are compensated for their clinical work. Academic and research activities may not be remunerated and are considered part of the professional development experience.
The program is not formally accredited by a national certifying body, but it is structured to meet the highest standards of clinical education and mentorship in concurrent disorders and complex pain care.
Yes, but clinical placements are subject to licensing and site availability. Applicants from outside BC should reach out to the program team to discuss feasibility.
Yes. In addition to core rotations, fellows may select from a wide range of elective placements or extend time in core areas. Research involvement is also encouraged but optional.
Please contact Dr. Pouya Azar, Fellowship Director, for any program or application-related inquiries.