BUFFALO, N.Y. — Opioid use disorder and how to treat it are the focus of the University at Buffalo Mini-Medical School event from 6:30-8:30 p.m. on March 11.

Free and open to the public and sponsored by the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at UB, the Mini-Medical School series tackles important medical topics geared to a general audience.

The March 11 topic will be “Managing Opioid Use Disorder with the MATTERS Network.” Speakers are Joshua J. Lynch, DO, founder and chief medical officer of MATTERS, clinical associate professor of emergency medicine in the Jacobs School and a physician with UBMD Emergency Medicine; and Shelby Arena, harm reduction manager, and Mia Dickinson, harm reduction coordinator, both with MATTERS.

The hybrid event will be held in person in the Dozoretz Auditorium on the second floor of the Jacobs School, 955 Main St., Buffalo, and virtually. Register for all Mini-Medical School events both in-person and online by completing the online registration form.

The MATTERS Network is the innovative opioid treatment program that Lynch founded to address the limitations of care for patients who had overdosed. To date, MATTERS partners with hundreds of hospitals, treatment organizations and pharmacies throughout New York State, and now other states are working to adopt the MATTERS Network approach as well.

The Mini-Medical School session will provide Narcan training, overdose response training and an overview of how the MATTERS Network provides a way to reduce morbidity and mortality rates for people living with substance use and mental health disorders by linking them to stigma-free treatment and resources. Treatment strategies and resources available in the community will be discussed, along with how to create an extensive network focused on improving access and eliminating financial, geographical and social barriers.

The event is designed to educate a diverse audience, from patients to students to health care workers to caregivers.

The Mini-Medical School program has been providing Western New Yorkers with an inside look at the medical school experience through lectures on various health care topics since 1997.

The mission, set by founder Harry Sultz, DDS, is to educate the community about medical science, medical practice and contributions of Jacobs School clinicians and researchers. The spirit of the program is exemplified in its original slogan, “Where People and Science Meet.”

Mini-Medical School is offered by the Jacobs School’s Office of Graduate Medical Education and directed by Diana Wilkins, MD, assistant dean for graduate medical education. More information about the series can be found at https://medicine.buffalo.edu/about/community_outreach/mini-med.html.