BACKGROUND: Medical profession plays a crucial role in preventing and treating substance use disorders. However, the quality of addiction-focused medical education, considering only postgraduate (GME) and continuing medical education (CME) programs, varies across countries. This study aimed to explore the variety of published programs and curriculum components in competency-based approach to addictology education for physicians and to highlight key areas in this field.

METHODS: This study involves a systematic review of literature to identify quality standards for competency-based education in GME and CME related to addiction. We searched electronic databases, including PubMed, EBSCO, SCOPUS, and Web of Science, for relevant key terms following the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis) methodology. Studies included any English language text about addressing educational competency-based models and standards for education within GME or CME in the Unites States of America (US) and European Union (EU). The process included identifying, screening, and reviewing articles and studies for relevance. Our goal is to delineate existing competency-based training programs and highlight quality standards in education and training for physicians in a field of GME and CME.

RESULTS: Result of our work led to the evaluation of curriculum topic standardization and agreement on core competencies to ensure that education in GME and CME is professionally consistent across states and universities. Our study included 55 articles describing models and standards for training programs in addiction medicine. In the final sample, articles that included specific information according to set criteria were included (n=9).

CONCLUSIONS: The description of specific educational evidence-based models and standards in GME and CME in addiction medical education is not sufficiently represented in published texts and is generally referred to general standards and models of individual institutions.