Robert J. Sokol, M.D., director of the C.S. Mott Center for Human Growth and Development at the Wayne State University School of Medicine, has been certified by the recently formed American Board of Addiction Medicine.

The American Board of Addiction Medicine is a new and independent medical specialty board that trains physicians to properly determine and diagnose when a patient may be suffering from an addiction.

Created in 2007 with the help of the American Society of Addiction Medicine, the ABAM certification program requires an extensive certifying examination as well as a re-examination to ensure maintained expertise. The board has created a governing body consisting of 15 physicians from a wide range of medical specialties.

In addition to his certification from ABAM, Dr. Sokol is also a diplomate of the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology. He serves as a specialty director on the American Board of Addiction Medicine Board of Directors and is the head of its Finance Committee.

Dr. Sokol was recruited to join ABAM because of his extensive research involving alcohol and various other drugs and their effects on pregnancy.

ABAM is in the process of obtaining recognition from the American Board of Medical Specialties, and Dr. Sokol is working with the board to secure such formal certification.

"Addiction is a major issue within health care," he said. "Lots of new problems are starting to be labeled as addictions, and we don't have enough people who are trained to spot these types of problems. Our goal is to show people how to spot those issues and treat them accordingly."