Alexander Walley, MD, MSc

Dr. Walley is an Assistant Professor in GIM at BUSM and Medical Director of the Narcotic Addiction Clinic at Boston Public Health Commission. As a CARE Fellow his research focused on predictors of mortality in HIV-infected persons with alcohol problems and risk behaviors among Russian heroin users. His grant proposal to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Agency (SAMHSA) was awarded $1.3 million for a program that facilitates access to substance abuse treatment and HIV prevention and care among high risk patients.

Medical School: Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
Residency: Primary Care/ Internal Medicine, University of California, San Francisco

Additional Pre-Fellowship Training and Experience:

• Chief Resident, Internal Medicine, San Francisco General Hospital
• Staff Physician, Adult Medicine and Medical Director, Acute Treatment Services; Dimock Community Health Center, Roxbury, MA
• Clinical Instructor in Medicine; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA

Fellowship Mentor: Jeffrey H. Samet, MD, MA, MPH

Fellowship Research Projects:

• Modifiable predictors of mortality in HIV-infected patients with current or past alcohol problems
• Drug risk behaviors and alcohol use in Russian heroin users
• Barriers to buprenorphine treatment in Massachusetts
• Methamphetamine addiction: Teaching physicians through patients in recovery

MSc Thesis Title: Recent heavy alcohol use, recent heroin or cocaine use, recent homelessness and short-term mortality in HIV-infected persons with alcohol problems

Fellowship Related Publications:

• Walley AY, Cheng DM, Libman H, Nunes DP, Saitz R, Faber V, Samet JH. Recent drug use, homelessness and increased short-term mortality in HIV-infected persons with alcohol problems. AIDS. 2008;22:415-420.
• Walley AY, Krupitsky EM, Cheng DM, Raj A, Edwards EM, Bridden C, Egarova VY, Zvartau EE, Woody GE, Samet JH. Implications of cannabis use and heavy alcohol use on HIV drug risk behaviors in Russian heroin users. AIDS and Behavior. 2008;12:662-669.
• Samet JH. Walley AY. Bridden C. Illicit drugs, alcohol, and addiction in human immunodeficiency virus. Panminerva Medica. 2007; 49:67-77.
• Walley AY, Phillips KA, Gordon AJ. The PIR Perspective: Patients in Recovery (PIR) teaching physicians about methamphetamine. Substance Abuse. 2008;29:61-64.
• Walley AY, Alperen JK, Cheng DM, Botticelli M, Castro-Donlan C, Samet, JH, Alford DP. Office-based management of opioid dependence with buprenorphine: clinical practices and barriers. J Gen Intern Med. 2008;23:1393-1398.

Grants Written During Fellowship: Facilitated Access to Substance abuse Treatment with Prevention And Treatment of HIV (FAST Path) (SAMHSA; 2007 – 2012, $2.3 million)

Current Positions:

• Assistant Professor, Section General Internal Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine
• Attending Physician, Boston Medical Center
• Medical Director, Narcotic Addiction Clinic, Boston Public Health Commission
• Medical Director, Opioid Overdose Prevention Program, Massachusetts Department of Public Health