Olapeju Simoyan, MD, MPH, BDS, FAAFP, FASAM
Dr. Simoyan is an addiction medicine specialist with training in family medicine and public health.
Before medical school, I trained in dentistry and public health. I guess you can say I am a “professional student!”
I have worked in academic medicine for several years now and still do, but for the last several years I have been exploring the intersection of medicine and the arts. I enjoy being a physician and a researcher, but I also love the arts and have learned to express myself creatively through writing, music and photography. (See more about that below.)
Career Highlights
Currently, I am a practicing addiction medicine physician and a full professor in the Department of Psychiatry at Drexel University College of Medicine.
Board certifications: addiction medicine, family medicine, and dental public health (2002- 2022)
Fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians
Fellow of the American Society of Addiction Medicine
Founding Medical Director of Research, Caron Treatment Centers
Founding Executive Director of Research, Caron Treatment Centers
Founding faculty member, Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine
First medical director, Habit Opco/Dunmore Comprehensive Treatment Center (opioid addiction treatment program)
First lead physician (medical director), Clean Slate Centers, Scranton and Wilkes Barre, PA (opioid addiction treatment program)
Program Director, Geisinger Marworth Addiction Medicine Fellowship – under my leadership, the program was among the first cohort of addiction medicine fellowships in the US to obtain accreditation from the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME)
I was part of the first cohort of physicians to obtain board certification in addiction medicine through the American Board of Preventive Medicine
Honors & Awards
American Medical Women's Association Fellow, 2023 (Scroll to view announcement.)
Pro-Health International’s Award of Excellence in Humanitarian Services, 2023
National Humanism in Medicine Medal (Arnold Gold Foundation), 2022
Top 25 Women in Business Award – Northeast PA Business Journal, 2015
Second Prize Winner, Citizen Diplomacy Award, US State Department, 2015
Society for Teachers in Family Medicine Editorial Fellowship, 2015-16
Best in Class Award- Visual Presentation- Family Medicine Education Consortium, 2015, Women in Family Medicine - a medical humanities project featuring an exhibit and video, 2015.
Fulbright specialist scholar to Nigeria, 2012, 2013, 14
Erasmus Mundus scholar to France, 2012 and UK, 2013
Harvard Macy Institute scholar, 2012
Gold humanism in medicine scholarship recipient, 2012
Herbert Nickens faculty fellowship award recipient (American Association of Medical Colleges), 2012
Family Medicine Education Consortium Emerging Leader Award, 2010
Family Medicine Resident Award for Scholarship, June 2009
Leonard Tow Award for Humanism in Medicine, Penn State College of Medicine recipient, 2006
American Medical Womens’ Association Community Service Award, 2004-2005
Penn State/Good Samaritan Family Practice Residency Medical Student Research Award, 2005
Editorial Roles
Founding Editor in Chief, Silver Linings (Reading Hospital/Tower Health)
Founding Editor in Chief, Black Diamonds, Geisinger Commonwealth Medical College
Founding Editor, New Voices column, Pulse - Voices from the Heart of Medicine
Former Associate Editor, Medical Education Online
Dr. Simoyan is also an author, musician, speaker, and photographer.
As a child and teenager, I was interested in music and writing but was encouraged to pursue a “real” profession since those interests were considered hobbies that I could pursue in my spare time.
After years of training in dentistry, public health, and medicine, I returned to these interests and enjoy combining my passions for music, writing, and photography to inspire others.
I now play several musical instruments, mostly self-taught, except the piano. I recently recorded an instrumental piano collection, Christmas Melodies.
Photography is another interest I developed as an adult and I've been able to combine my childhood interest of writing and my love of photography in photobooks!