This month, we are proud to highlight Dr. Olapeju Simoyan in our Diplomate Spotlight!

Dr. Olapeju Simoyan, an Addiction Medicine specialist and member of ABPM’s Addiction Medicine Sub-Board, is the Executive Director of Research at Caron Treatment Centers. She has keen interests in music and writing and, in June 2022, was awarded the National Humanism in Medicine Medal by the Arnold P. Gold Foundation for her efforts to incorporate the arts into medical education.

She graciously took the time to answer our questions about how she connects the arts and medicine, her journey to an impactful career, and much more.

Why did you choose a career in medicine, and, specifically, Addiction Medicine? What was your career path?

I graduated from high school at the age of fifteen, and six years later, I was a 21- year- old dentist. At the time, I knew I had a lot of divergent interests, and I didn’t think a career in medicine would allow me to pursue them all. I eventually obtained a Master of Public Health degree from Johns Hopkins University, thinking I might end up working for an international health organization. The international health job didn’t materialize, but the opportunity for further training did, so I completed a dental public health residency at Montefiore Medical Center and eventually got board certified in dental public health. By that time, I had decided that I needed a medical degree to make the kind of impact I wanted to make. So, in April of 2002, I passed my dental public health board exam and in August of the same year, I enrolled in medical school at Penn State College of Medicine.

I was interested in psychiatry, but also wanted to be able to continue to practice some general medicine, and I felt addiction medicine was the right fit – with the right amount of both.

Having developed your talents in music and writing, and as a founding editor Black Diamonds and an editor at Pulse – Voices from the Heart of Medicine, you have been able not only to pursue your artistic passions, but also to integrate your artistic interests in your medical profession. What is the connection between art, music, and medicine, and how do those connections inform your practice of Addiction Medicine?

My formal editorial roles started as a medical student at Penn State College of Medicine, where there was a strong emphasis on the humanities. As a fourth- year medical student, I served as editor for Wild Onions, an arts and literary journal. At the time, I thought it was just a fun thing to do and had no idea that it was laying the foundation for what would become a significant part of my career. I started a similar initiative at what is now Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine. The students chose the name Black Diamonds in honor of the region’s coal mining history, and I served as Editor in Chief from the inception till 2020 when I moved to take on my current position. I am currently a member of the medical humanities committee at Reading Hospital/Tower Health and was asked to serve as Founding Editor for a new arts and literary journal, Silver Linings.

For a long time, I struggled to find ways of incorporating my artistic passions into my work. I supported the medical students in their artistic endeavors by participating in talent shows and serving as faculty advisor for the arts and music interest group but struggled to find ways of incorporating music and the arts into my professional work. More recently, I have been able to include music in the group sessions I have with teenagers and young adults who are in treatment for substance use disorders at our inpatient facility. I take my ukulele to the sessions and after discussions about the developing brain/drugs and/or research, I invite anyone who is willing to play the ukulele or guitar. At times I play a familiar song and accompany myself on the ukulele. It is refreshing to see their faces light up during the sessions.

I strongly believe that art and music should play a stronger role in education. In addition to the therapeutic effect of music, musical training can help make us better listeners, a skill which can improve the quality of our interactions with patients. Observational skills developed through training in the arts can also improve our ability to notice subtle changes while performing physical exams that could lead to making a diagnosis that might otherwise be missed.

The increase in substance use disorder during the COVID-19 pandemic has been well-documented. How has the pandemic changed the practice of Addiction Medicine? Are there changes that you see as long-lasting effects on the subspecialty?

One significant change is the increased use of telemedicine and if this helps to reduce barriers to treatment, then perhaps it’s one positive consequence of the pandemic.

What would you like other (non-Addiction Medicine) physicians to know about Addiction Medicine?

Addiction medicine is a specialty that anyone from any other specialty is welcome to. Many of our trainees come to our fellowship programs after having long careers in other specialties, while others come straight out of residency training. There is such a need for specialists in this field, and the multidisciplinary nature of the field is a great asset.

What advice would you give to a young physician considering a career in Addiction Medicine?

It is a very rewarding career and can be practiced in various settings, which allows for flexibility.

Some physicians choose to combine addiction medicine with their primary specialty while others chose to focus on addiction. There are opportunities in academia, research and industry. I don’t think too many other specialties offer the same level of flexibility.

Why did you choose to become certified and what is the value of board certification for you?

I initially got certified by the American Board of Addiction Medicine in 2014. At the time I had the impression that we would be “grandfathered” when the ABPM certification became available. You can imagine my frustration when, in 2015, it was announced that ABPM certification was available and that all diplomates – except those certified in 2015 – would have to take the new exam! That notwithstanding, I took the ABPM exam as soon as it was available (2017), because I knew it was important for my academic career (I became a program director for an addiction medicine fellowship shortly after).

Is there anything else you’d like to share with ABPM Diplomates about yourself?

I like to tell people to stop trying to be “normal.” Instead of wondering why I am “different,” I have learned to embrace the characteristics that make me the unique person that I am. I can’t save the world, but I can make the greatest impact by doing those things I am uniquely equipped to do. I encourage others to do the same.