Dr. Finch was initially trained in Family Medicine. Following residency in Lancaster, PA and a fellowship at Duke University, he stayed on the faculty at Duke with joint appointments in Family Medicine and Psychiatry and helped found and co-direct the Duke Addictions Program.
After leaving Duke he worked for many years in community mental health settings before opening a private practice and later an addiction and mental health practice in Durham called Changes By Choice, while continuing to be active in training and consultation.
Dr Finch is a Distinguished Fellow of the American Society of Addiction Medicine, Past-President of the NC Society of Addiction Medicine and Director of Physician Education for the Governor’s Institute on Substance Abuse. In his role with the Governor’s Institute he develops and implements statewide clinical trainings, including co-directing the regional Addiction Medicine Conference held in Asheville each spring for the past 8 years.
His wife, Jane Blansfield Finch, is an LCSW psychotherapist who co-directs the Changes By Choice collaborative, including directing its counseling services. His dog, Bertie, is a part-time (unlicensed) “therapy-dog” in that practice.
Fellowship: Duke University Division of Family Practice, Family Medicine Clinical Teaching Fellowship, Durham, NC 1984 - 1985
Residency: Lancaster General Hospital Family Practice Residency (Temple Univ. affiliated), Lancaster, PA 1981 - 1984
Medical: University of South Florida College of Medicine, Tampa, FL 1978 - 1981 Degree: M.D.
Premedical: University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 1976 - 1978 Major: Zoology
Undergrad: Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 1967 - 1972 Degree: B.S. Psychology
North Carolina License to Practice Medicine
Certified American Society of Addiction Medicine 1994
Certified American Board of Family Practice since 1984
Certified American Board of Medical Examiners 1981
Certified Authorization to prescribe buprenorphine (Subutex/Suboxone) 2003
Private Practice, Addiction Medicine, Durham, NC, June 2002 - present
Medical Director, Southlight Wakeview Methadone Treatment Center, Raleigh, NC, 1998 - 2007
Medical Director, Addiction Medicine Services, Durham County Mental Health Center, Durham, NC, 1990 – 2006
Director, Community-Based Substance Abuse Hospital Consult Project, Governor’s Institute on Alcohol and Substance Abuse Research Triangle Park, NC, 1995-1997
Education Director, Governor’s Institute on Alcohol and Substance Abuse, Research Triangle Park, NC, 1991-1999
Assistant Director/Medical Director, Duke Alcoholism and Addictions Program, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, 1987 - 1989
Assistant Professor, Duke Family Practice Residency Program, Duke University Medical Center Durham, NC, 1985-1990
Medical Director, Oakleigh at Durham, Residential Treatment Program for Substance Abuse, Durham, NC, 1987
Medical Consultant, Durham County Substance Abuse Services, Durham, NC, 1985 - 1990
Detoxification Counselor, Cambridge City Hospital Alcohol Detoxification Unit, Cambridge, MA 1974 - 1976