Hello, my name is Scott Teitelbaum, MD, and I am the Pottash professor in psychiatry and neuroscience at the University of Florida College of Medicine. I serve as vice chair of the department of psychiatry, chief of the division of addiction medicine, medical director of the UF Health Florida Recovery Center and former fellowship director of UF’s American Board of Preventive Medicine (ABPM) – addiction medicine fellowship.

I was originally trained and board certified as a pediatrician. I always loved children, and as a father, I thought it was important to treat a patient’s family the way I would want to be treated. I later completed fellowships in addiction medicine and child psychiatry at UF, switching focus because of my own journey in recovery and desire to help individuals and families who suffer with the effects of substance use disorders and co-occurring mental health conditions. I became medical director of the Florida Recovery Center in 2002, and since then, have been involved in the evaluation and/or treatment of more than 5,000 health care providers and other professionals from across the country. Through these efforts, the Florida Recovery Center has led the way nationally with its evidence-based treatment of the disease of addiction.

I developed one of the first-ever accredited fellowships in addiction medicine, and my program has now trained more addiction medicine fellows than any other program nationwide. We are continuing research on substance biomarkers and using patient health assessments to identify where we can improve the quality of the treatment that we provide individuals.

In 2016, I was awarded the Pottash Endowment, allowing for the creation of a research initiative that’s focused on addiction medicine and the fight toward recovery. I have been honored on multiple occasions with the Exemplary Teacher Award for my guidance of medical students. I have received several other awards and honors, including being named the winner of the American Society of Addiction Medicine’s Prestigious Annual Award in January 2018 in recognition of my outstanding contributions to the field and elected into the Conway Hunter Society.

A national expert who has been consulted by the White House Office of National Drug Control and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, I am passionate about reducing stigma and advancing treatment for those suffering from the disease of addiction. In my free time, I enjoy spending time with my family, being outdoors and exercising.