Kate Chichester CCSME Executive Director Let’s start at the beginning – how did you end up in Northern Maine? I tell everyone that is the million-dollar question! My sister and I were born and raised in Sierra Leone, West Africa. My parents wanted to give us a better life and better opportunities, they were able …
Interview with Samuela Albert Manages, MD, FAAFP Read More »
Kate Chichester CCSME Executive Director What brought you to the field of medicine? I was drawn to the field of medicine by my love for science. I wanted a field where I could apply science in a way that can help people directly on a daily basis. I also enjoy the mystery aspect of medicine, …
Kate Chichester CCSME Executive Director What got you interested in addiction as a family practitioner? I spent some time away from Maine while serving in the military. When I moved back, I was looking for employment, and I happened to see that Merrimac, a methadone clinic in Portland and Lewiston, was looking for an interim …
Kate Chichester CCSME Executive Director What are some of the challenges you see from the provider’s perspective around recognizing and treating substance use disorders? I think as a provider, specifically a primary care physician, the biggest barrier was my misconceptions going into it. I thought this was going to be much more difficult to do …
Kate Chichester CCSME Executive Director When did your interest in addictions emerge? My interest started when I was a resident. During my residency at Maine Medical Center in Family Medicine, I met many people who had substance use disorder or unhealthy substance use. I enjoyed working with them and, in particular, people who had alcohol …
Kate Chichester CCSME Executive Director What supported your interest in working in addictions after 18 years in family medicine? In 2016 I was practicing family medicine in a rural town in Maine. I had a thriving, overflowing panel of patients I looked forward to seeing and caring for daily. A local pain clinic closed its …
Gust Stephen Stringos, DO, FAAFP, FASAM, Medical Director Redington Fairview General Hospital (RFGH) and Medical Director RFGH Bridge Clinic for Opioid Use Disorder Kate Chichester CCSME Executive Director As a practicing family physician for many years, what led you to obtain your x-waiver and addiction medicine certification? I have always been interested in substance misuse …
Interview with Gust Stephen Stringos, DO, FAAFP, FASAM Read More »
Interview with Rachel Solotaroff, MD, MCR, FACP, Penobscot Community Health Care’s (PCHC) new Executive Clinical Director of Behavioral Medicine and Community Wellness. Dr. Solotaroff joins PCHC having previously served as the President and CEO of Central City Concern in Portland, Oregon, an agency providing healthcare, housing, and employment services. (responses have been edited for brevity) …
