Michael F. "Mike" Weaver, MD, DFASAM
Candidate for President-Elect
Michael F. "Mike" Weaver, MD, DFASAM is a Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Medical Director of the Center for Neurobehavioral Research on Addiction at McGovern Medical School at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. He is Board-certified in Internal Medicine and Addiction Medicine. He is involved in patient care, medical education, and research. He sees patients in the Innovations Addiction Treatment Clinic at the Texas Medical Center in Houston. He teaches about addiction to trainees and professionals at all levels. He is involved in multiple research projects and has multiple publications in the field of addiction medicine.
Nomination Video
Candidate Questionnaire Responses
1. How would your election to the ASAM Board of Directors benefit ASAM and the field of addiction medicine?
I will contribute my abilities to ASAM to provide thoughtful leadership through changes facing the field. I teach and publish about translational aspects of research to help clinicians incorporate new findings into patient care. I have done many media appearances, and will help be the public face of ASAM. I will be a liaison between ASAM and the ABPM for ongoing cooperation between these two important organizations that oversee complementary aspects of the field. I was involved in developing the Longitudinal Assessment Program (LAP) for the CCP that replaced the high-stakes 10-year re-certification exam, and will provide information about this for ASAM members who are ABPM diplomates. Now that the Practice Pathway to certification has closed, I will work with ASAM and ABPM on development of a pathway to certification in Addiction Medicine through ABPM for mid-career physicians who may have difficulty doing a traditional fellowship program
2. Candidate Statement
I am a physician-scientist at an academic medical center where I spend most of my time treating patients with substance use disorders using evidence-based treatments, teaching medical students and residents about addiction and its treatment, and participating in human subject research to develop enhanced treatments for addiction to different substances. I have been a member of ASAM since 1994. I was certified in Addiction Medicine by ASAM, then by the American Board of Addiction Medicine, and I became certified by the American Board of Preventive Medicine as soon as that was possible in 2018. I have given many lectures at ASAM conferences, and contributed articles and chapters to multiple ASAM publications. I joined the Board of Directors in 2023 and was a member of the Presidential Task Force for development of the ASAM Strategic Plan in 2025. I have strong contributions to advancing the field of Addiction Medicine through leadership roles for physicians to become certified in Addiction Medicine for over 20 years, including as the inaugural Sub-Board Chair for Addiction Medicine on the Board of Directors of the American Board of Preventive Medicine. My academic background has provided me with skills for leadership and working with others from different backgrounds and diverse ideas. I welcome the opportunity to contribute to ASAM leadership through my experience as a clinician-scientist. I will be an effective President-Elect to help guide the incredible membership of this premier organization and work with ASAM leadership through the challenges and opportunities over the next several years.