Each of our program founders and faculty members brings a wealth of expertise and accomplishments to the Duke-UNC Tobacco Treatment Specialist Training Program. In this space, we will be introducing each member of our team individually through a series of questions to learn more about their interests in tobacco cessation work. We hope that you enjoy getting to know each member of the TTS faculty a bit better over the course of this series!
First up in our Meet the Faculty series is Dr. James Davis, Director of the Duke-UNC TTS Training Program. James Davis, MD is the Medical Director for the Duke Center for Smoking Cessation and Director of the Duke Smoking Cessation Program. Dr. Davis is a practicing hospitalist in Internal Medicine and is a tobacco dependence instructor for the Duke University School of Nursing, Duke Psychiatry, and Family Practice Residency programs. He is involved in various research projects and is currently principal investigator on an NIH-funded clinical trial assessing adaptive quit smoking medication protocols and assessing the effectiveness of the Duke Smoking Cessation Program. Dr. Davis is also co-investigator on a trial assessing decision making in lung cancer screening and several trials on the use of e-cigarettes as a treatment for smokers.
We asked Dr. Davis some questions about his involvement with tobacco cessation work.
How long have you been working in tobacco cessation?
15 years
What began your interest in this work?
I encountered patients who had severe smoking-related illness but were still unable to quit smoking. This awakened me to the reality that smoking cessation can be very difficult and that many people need help in order to be successful.
What makes you passionate about tobacco cessation?
I love tobacco users. Their stories are incredibly personal, and working with addiction is a window into life in which the hard realities of life are laid bare. It is an incredible honor for people to share honestly in this way. Additionally, many people with long-term severe addiction are in fact able to quit smoking if we can find an approach that works for them. This is very rewarding.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with people about yourself or your work?
I see patients with tobacco dependence in my own clinic, a clinic that serves financially challenged individuals. I also oversee other providers who do similar work at Duke. Finally, I conduct research on tobacco dependence. Most of my research is in medication efficacy trials, though I am also interested in mindfulness for smoking cessation and the expansion of clinical services to smokers.
The Duke-UNC Tobacco Treatment Specialist Training Program trains health professionals to provide evidence-based treatment for tobacco use and dependence. The program provides an impactful educational experience for a wide variety of professionals, including clinicians, nurses, pharmacists, social workers, public health policy-makers, and more.
Participants in our virtual training earn up to 28.75 hours of CME credit and are prepared to pursue their National Certificate in Tobacco Treatment Practice (formerly Certified Tobacco Treatment Specialist, or CTTS). Our comprehensive curriculum is provided as a dynamic and interactive virtual experience over the course of 2 weeks, with a focus on problem-based learning activities, applied practice problems, and tobacco treatment program implementation.
Visit our website to learn more or register. Ask us about our early bird tuition discounts and partial scholarships!