Drug abuse and alcoholism teaching in U.S. medical and osteopathic schools.

This is a report of the principal findings of a survey of drug abuse and alcoholism teaching in U.S. medical and osteopathic schools. It was found that required teaching activities during all four years of medical school averaged 25.7 hours, with a range of 0 to 126. The proportion of the total required hours devoted to substance abuse was 0.0 to 3.1 percent, with a mean of 0.6 percent. Schools also differed widely in the number and type of electives offered in drug abuse and alcoholism, as well as in number of clinical assignments available. Findings in osteopathic schools were generally similar. Two factors which were significantly related to the number of required hours were the presence of a career teacher in the addictions and the size of the school.