This page is intended for physicians and nurse practitioners who are registered in the POATSP education and training pathway to prescribe opioid agonist treatment (OAT) medications.
For registered nurses (RNs)/ registered psychiatric nurses (RPNs) who are opioid use disorder certified, information about the RN and RPN education and training pathway is here.
The education and training pathway
There are three components to the education and training pathway for prescribing OAT medications (the POATSP Online Course, workbook, preceptorship)
The POATSP Online Course consists of 26 modules based on the provincial guideline for opioid use disorder, A Guideline for the Clinical Management of Opioid Use Disorder, to provide education on the key elements of opioid use disorder care. This online course was developed by the BCCSU and the University of British Columbia’s Division of Continuing Professional Development (UBC CPD).
There are 4 different streams available in the POATSP Online Course:
- Buprenorphine/naloxone
- Oral OAT (community settings)
- Oral OAT (acute care settings)
- Injectable OAT (iOAT)
Accreditation Information
The UBC CPD is fully accredited by the Committee on Accreditation of Continuing Medical Education (CACME) to provide study credits for continuing medical education for physicians.
This activity is an Accredited Self-Assessment Program (Section 3) as defined by the Maintenance of Certification Program (MOC) of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, and has been approved by UBC CPD for up to 8.0 MOC Section 3 Self-Assessment hours (credits are automatically calculated).
This program meets the certification criteria of the College of Family Physicians of Canada and has been certified by UBC CPD for up to 8.0 Mainpro+ Self-Learning credits.
Each physician should claim only those credits accrued through participation in the activity.
The workbook contains case scenarios and questions to apply learnings from the POATSP Online Course.
There are 3 workbooks available, depending on stream:
- Community workbook
- Acute care settings workbook
- iOAT workbook
To access the workbooks, see the resources page.
The preceptorship is in-person education with an approved preceptor. During the preceptorship, the completed workbook will be reviewed. It is an opportunity to apply the learnings from the POATSP Online Course and workbook in clinical practice.
The Virtual POATSP Preceptorship Pilot is launching in Fall 2025.
This pilot is intended for rural and remote physicians and nurse practitioners looking to complete the POATSP Education and Training Pathway. MD and NP learners can express interest in participating in the pilot by completing a short online form for the opportunity to complete their POATSP preceptorship virtually with an approved BCCSU preceptor.
Education and training pathway streams
The education and training pathways are tailored according to the OAT medication and setting:
- Buprenorphine/naloxone only
- All oral OAT in community settings
- All oral OAT in acute care settings
- Injectable OAT
Note: Physicians and nurse practitioners are not required to complete the education and training pathway in order to prescribe buprenorphine/naloxone for opioid use disorder. However, physicians and nurse practitioners are strongly encouraged to take the POATSP Online Course to learn the latest evidence-based guidance for prescribing this medication and for more information about induction protocols.
The education and training pathway: step-by-step guide
- Complete the required modules in the POATSP Online Course
- Obtain a Certificate of Completion in the online platform
- Upon obtaining this certificate, the following information is provided:
- A list of approved preceptors
- Where to access the workbooks
- Upon obtaining this certificate, the following information is provided:
- Select an approved preceptor
- Contact the preceptor to schedule a preceptorship
- Note that the preceptorship must be with a preceptor approved by the BCCSU
- Complete the appropriate workbook either on paper or electronically
- Bring the completed workbook to the preceptorship
- Attend the in-person preceptorship
- Complete any additional learning at the discretion of the preceptor
- If adding more than one additional preceptorship day, please discuss with the BCCSU by emailing [email protected]
- Complete the online Preceptorship Form (found in the workbook)
- The Preceptorship Form is an online form to report that the preceptorship has been completed
Once these steps above are completed, the preceptor will need to:
- Complete Preceptor Review Form (sent to the preceptor via email) and submit to the BCCSU
After the education and training pathway has been completed
For oral OAT education and training pathways
- The BCCSU will issue a Proof of Completion letter, which is sent via email to both:
- The prescriber
- The College of Physicians and Surgeons of BC (physicians only)
After obtaining the Proof of Completion letter, prescribers may continue prescribing OAT medications in perpetuity as the letter does not expire (excluding direct follow up or disciplinary action from the relevant College).
Summary of the the iOAT Prescribing Privileges Process for the Learner:
- Complete the iOAT pathway within the online POATSP course
- Email your iOAT certificate to [email protected], to receive the iOAT workbook and iOAT preceptor contact list.
- Complete the workbook
- Schedule and attend one half-day (4-hour) preceptorship with a BCCSU approved iOAT preceptor
- During the preceptorship, your completed workbook will be reviewed against the answer key
- Submit the online preceptorship form upon completion of the preceptorship
- Make sure to select “Injectable Opioid Agonist Treatment Training Only” for the preceptorship type question and upload your iOAT certificate
- Your preceptor completes and submits the evaluation form to formally sign off on your training
- BCCSU issues the iOAT Collaborative Prescribing Agreement (CPA) to you
- Complete and return the iOAT CPA form to BCCSU
- BCCSU authorizes the CPA and submits it to the Ministry for approval
- The Ministry to return the approved iOAT CPA form to BCCSU
- BCCSU sends you the final executed copy your iOAT CPA
Return the completed CPA to BCCSU
The completed CPA must be returned to the BCCSU ([email protected]).
Returning this document elsewhere will cause a delay in iOAT prescribing, where iOAT medications will remain inactivated in PharmaNet. Prescriptions for iOAT will not be dispensed until this form is returned to the BCCSU.
Renewal process and continuing education
There are no further educational or administrative requirements for OAT prescribing; however, as with all medical care, prescribers are expected to continue their medical education and stay up to date on best practices and clinical guidelines.
The BCCSU will send all trained prescribers who opt-in a monthly Addiction Care Provider Blast featuring systems-level changes relevant to prescribers in BC and updated clinical guidance from the BCCSU.