Education and Training


Deep Expertise. Transformative Impact. Human-Centered Education.

Education

Expand the reach, quality, and empathy of addiction medicine education to transform how clinicians understand and treat substance use disorders. Dr. Cara Poland believes that the way we teach addiction medicine shapes whether people receive care at all, and what kind. Dr. Cara Poland designs education that’s trauma-informed, clinically rigorous, and stigma-reducing. Her approach integrates real-world stories, evidence-based science, and system-level context to help learners across the healthcare spectrum feel confident, capable, and connected to this work.

Flagship National Initiative: MI CARES (Michigan Collaborative Addiction Resources and Education System)

MI CARES is the foundation for Dr. Poland’s training of healthcare providers and deeply informs her consulting philosophy in developing education and training.

  • Born from a statewide need. In 2018, a meeting of Michigan’s Medical School Deans revealed a stark gap: no faculty board-certified in Addiction Medicine at six of the seven schools.
  • A national footprint: more than twenty thousand physicians across all fifty states have enrolled in MI CARES for addiction training. Over 1,000 physicians are enrolled in the Practice Pathway support program, and thousands of medical and other professional students have used its curriculum.

Designed for compassion, evidence, and to be anti-stigma, the curriculum includes:

  • Asynchronous modules
  • Small group learning
  • Board-style question banks
  • Attitude surveys

MI CARES is the real-world training lab that shapes everything Dr. Poland brings to consulting: deep clinical experience, evidence-based tools, and a persistent focus on how systemic stigma blocks care.


Customized Consulting and Training Services:

Dr. Cara Poland partners with healthcare systems, academic centers, community coalitions, legal system partners, and professional groups to build programs rooted in the same values and rigor as MI CARES. 

Healthcare Student, Graduate, and Continuing Education

  • Live lectures, case-based sessions, and small group facilitation
  • Topics include stigma, ethics, neurobiology, treatment, behavioral health integration, and special populations (e.g., perinatal, justice-involved)
  • Curriculum planning and faculty development for institutions building addiction content

Clinician Training and Grand Rounds

  • Engaging talks and workshops for clinics, hospitals, and departments 
  • Practical frameworks for care delivery, including how to identify and treat substance use disorders across specialties
  • System-level recommendations to move beyond awareness into action

Community Education and Coalition Workshops

  • Designed for non-clinical audiences, including:
    • Public health staff
    • School leaders
    • Justice system stakeholders
    • Community advocates
  • Trauma-informed and anti-stigma training that helps communities shift narratives and reduce barriers to care

Book Training or Consulting

  • Speeches, Grand Rounds, and workshops: both live and virtual
  • Custom curriculum design for academic or clinical programs
  • On-site support for integrating anti-stigma care with operational change
  • On-site support for integrating trauma-informed care in office-based settings

Sample Topics

  • Demystifying medications for opioid and alcohol use disorders
  • Understanding structural stigma in clinical care
  • Evidence-based addiction treatment for generalists
  • Creating trauma-informed clinical environments

Let’s Collaborate

Contact Me

Interested in bringing stigma-informed education to your team or organization? Dr. Poland welcomes inquiries about custom training, speaking engagements, and long-term educational partnerships. Use the contact form to share your goals, and we will be in touch soon to explore opportunities.